Skip to Main Content

Newspapers in the Duke University Libraries

Introduction

If you are seeking a particular newspaper, search Duke's catalog by its title.  Results may include a record for an original, microfilm, and/or digital version.  Check the appropriate tab in this guide to find additional newspaper sources. Most of the electronic sources are accessible only to members of the Duke community. The free sites are indicated. Consult a reference librarian for additional help.

 

Microfilm Outside of the Duke Libraries

These links will lead you to microfilm of newspapers held elsewhere, but available through Interlibrary Loan.

Table of Contents

Evaluating Newspapers

The discerning scholar approaches a newspaper source with skepticism and questions. What is the editorial bias?  Was the newspaper a mouthpiece for a particular political party?  How long was it published?  How large was its circulation? What other newspapers existed in the same city at that time? Did it change titles and ownership over time?  Google searches may give you some answers, but scholarly books and reference sources are typically more reliable. The Chronicling America project includes a history of many individual titles. Choose the All Digitized Newspapers 1777-1963 tab, select a state, and pull up the list of newspapers that have been digitized. If the More Info column to the right of a title has Yes, click there for details about the newspaper. 

For additional resources, search the library catalog by subject using this format:

  • press united states
  • american newspapers
  • american newspapers directories

Some recommended titles:

 

Original Newspapers

Note that the American Antiquarian Society is the nation's chief repository for early American newspapers. 

Duke holds a number of titles, including some complete runs and other incomplete collections.  Many of the Rubenstein's original newspapers are listed by title in the library catalog. Others are part of collections and will not be listed by individual newspaper title in the catalog: