Locating Newspaper Articles

Following is a list of selected resources for finding newspapers articles at the Humanities & Social Sciences Library, arranged by format: electronic, microfilm, and print.

Electronic Indexes | Microfilm and Print Indexes

Full-text or indexing and abstracting electronic resources provide access to a wide range of newspapers, but often cover only more recent materials. (See also Selected Internet Sites in this guide.) For historical articles you may need to consult microfilm or print indexes. Electronic indexes are accessible only from selected computers in the library’s Main Reading Room (Room 315) and in the other divisions’ reading rooms.

Smart Tip: A quick way of finding out whether a specific newspaper/journal is indexed electronically with full text is to click on “Links to Full Text Journals” on the Selected Electronic Resources screen available from public computers at HSSL.

If you need assistance locating and using these databases, please see a librarian at the reference desk in Room 315.

Electronic Indexes

Following is a selected list of indexes that index newspapers more extensively than journals and magazines.

Historical

The Civil War: A Newspaper Perspective
Selected full-text articles from over 2,500 issues of the New York Herald, the Charleston Mercury, and the Richmond Enquirer, covering 1860 through 1865. Included are descriptive news articles, eyewitness accounts and official reports of battles and events, editorials, advertisements, and biographies, as well as articles describing events other than military concerns (e.g., arts and leisure). Note: Before starting your search, make sure to read “Tips for Searching” to become familiar with some uncommon searching conventions this database uses.

Historical Newspapers Online
Contains citations of articles from three major historical resources: Palmer's Index to The Times (London), which covers the period from 1790 to 1905; the Official Index to The Times (London), which continues the coverage from 1906 to 1980; and the Historical Index to The New York Times, which covers the period from 1851-1923

New York Times, Historical Newspapers (prior to 1999)
Includes the full text of the New York Daily Times (1851-1857) and The New York Times (1857-1999). Searchable by basic search fields, it allows you to e-mail, save or print the full text of articles retrieved.

19th Century Masterfile
Article citations from several indexes to periodical literature (including newspapers). Includes an enhanced edition of Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature (1802–1907) with more than 485,000 citations. Covers the period pre-1920.

Times of London
Covers the entire paper—including ads and images—from 1785 through 1985. Data are added monthly, and the articles for the entire period will be fully available in late 2003. The Times Literary Supplement is indexed with full text as a separate database. Covers period from 1902 through 1985.

Current

For a list of selected Electronic Resources available remotely, please click here. Databases listed with are available from any computer with an Internet connection to users who have a NYPL Branch Libraries' card.

Academic Search Premier, MasterFile Premier, Periodical Abstracts Research II, and Readers Guide Abstracts. These databases index mostly journals and magazines but also include selected newspaper titles.

Ethnic NewsWatch
A collection of ethnic, minority, and native newspapers, magazines, and journals published in the United States, in both English and Spanish. Topics include current events and history, social issues, education, the arts, and business. Covers years from 1985 to present.

Newspaper Source
Full text for more than two hundred regional U.S. newspapers—including The Christian Science Monitor and The Los Angeles Times, several international newspapers, newswires, and newspaper columns. Coverage varies.

New York Jewish Newspapers The Dorot Jewish Division web page includes electronic indexes, searchable by name or subject, of two New York Jewish newspapers: Forward (2000-present) and The Jewish Week (1993-present). Available from any computer with Internet access.

The New York Times Current
Full-text articles published from 1999 to present. Searchable by basic search fields, it allows you to e-mail, save or print the full text of articles retrieved.

Russian Regional Report (Rossiiskii Regionalnyi Biulleten) Available only in room 217, Slavic and Baltic Division.
The Russian Regional Report database provides access archived issues of the Russian Regional Report, a weekly newsletter covering the main political and economic trends of the 89 regions of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Regional Investor, a biweekly newsletter of economic trends, regional cooperation, and foreign investment. The East West Institute's Regional Profiles of the Russian Federation are also available.

Universal Database of Russian Newspapers
Full text of current issues of over 25 of the most influential Russian newspapers on the day they appear, as well as an archive of past issues. Coverage varies, from 1996 to present, by title. Most of the database is in Russian; two English language titles, INTAR-TASS and New Times, are included. Users must choose to search in English or Russian. An English-language search will give results only from English-language text. Knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet is necessary to search the Russian-language texts.

Microfilm and Print Indexes

Click here for a list of newspaper indexes available self-service in the Microform Division (Room 100).