How to Find a Newspaper in the Reading Room: A Fact Sheet

COLLECTIONS

All of the Library's newspapers from the late 1600's to the present are held here, EXCEPT FOR NEWSPAPERS IN CERTAIN LANGUAGES, WHICH GO TO AREA STUDIES DIVISIONS. All dates of newspapers in Asian and Middle Eastern language scripts are held either by the Asian Division or by the African and Middle Eastern Division in the Adams Building. CURRENT newspapers in Russian, other Slavic, and Baltic languages are held by the European Division in the Jefferson Building. We have older bound or microfilmed newspapers in Slavic and Baltic languages.

GUIDES TO OUR NEWSPAPER COLLECTIONS

CURRENT NEWSPAPERS: U.S. AND FOREIGN

Newspapers Currently Received in the Library of Congress. (Kept at desk and near card file) The first section lists U.S. newspapers by state and city, and the second section lists foreign newspapers by country and city. For the most part, we do not receive newspapers on the date of publication. Ask reference staff about the average delay in receipts of U.S. and foreign newspapers.

OLDER NEWSPAPERS: UNITED STATES

Check List of American Eighteenth Century Newspapers in the Library of Congress. (Shelved near card file) Lists the Library's original U.S. newspapers published 1800 and earlier. Speak to a reference librarian if you wish to use this collection.

Chronological Index of Newspapers for the Period 1801-1967 in the Collections of the Library of Congress. (11 vols.) (Shelved near card file) Arranged by year, and thereunder by state and city; lists newspapers in microfilm and bound volumes. Bound volumes are stored at an annex in the Washington, D.C. area, and must be requested at least a day before desired use.

Newspaper microfilm card file. (Kept at the center desk) Lists by state and city U.S. newspapers on microfilm in this reading room's custody, with inclusive dates.

OLDER NEWSPAPERS: FOREIGN

Foreign Eighteenth Century Newspapers. (Kept at the center desk) Lists the Library's original foreign newspapers published 1800 and earlier. Speak to a reference librarian if you wish to use this collection.

A Check List of Foreign Newspapers in the Library of Congress. (Kept at the center desk) Lists foreign newspapers, published 1801 to twentieth century, by country and city. Newspapers listed here are in bound volumes, which are stored at an annex and must be requested at least a day in advance.

A Check List of Foreign Newspapers in the Library of Congress. Supplement. (46 volumes) (Kept at the center desk) Lists bound newspapers, 1801 to 1950's, by country and city. These newspapers must be requested from an annex at least a day in advance.

Newspaper microfilm card file. (Kept at the center desk) Lists by country and city all foreign newspapers on microfilm in this reading room's custody, with inclusive dates.

OTHER REFERENCES

Union Lists.

If the Library does not own the newspaper you need, check a "union list" to see what other libraries may have it. Some major union lists are listed below. Most are shelved near the card file.

      *  Newspapers in Microform: United States               (Z6951.U56a)
      *  Newspapers in Microform:  Foreign Countries         (Z6945.U515a)
      *  Gregory.  American Newspapers, 1821 to 1936           (Z6945.A53)
      *  Brigham.  History and Bibliography of American Newspapers
            1690-1820                                          (Z6951.B86)
      *  United States Newspaper Program National Union List  (microfiche)
            

Indexes to Newspaper Articles.

      The reading room Reference Collection includes a large
      selection of newspaper indexes in book format, microfiche, and
      CD-ROM.  Many of the print indexes are shelved in the call
      number sequence "AI21" in the Reference Collection. Consult a
      reference librarian if you need help. 
            

Current Newspaper Directories. (Shelved near card file or at center desk)

      *  Editor and Publisher International Year Book         (PN4700.E42)
      *  Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media    (Z6951.A97)
      *  Working Press of the Nation. Vol. 1 Newspaper Directory
                                                                (Z6951.W6)
      *  Willing's Press Guide                                (Z6956.E5W5)
      *  Benn's Media Directory. International                 (P88.8.B46)
      *  Benn's Media Directory. United Kingdom                (P88.8.B47)
            

REQUESTING NEWSPAPERS (From the closed stacks)

      *  Request most newspapers on a BLUE newspaper call slip. 
         (See Fact Sheet on "Newspaper Requests.")
      *  BOUND VOLUMES OF NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY
         NEWSPAPERS COME FROM A WAREHOUSE AND MUST BE ORDERED AT
         LEAST A DAY IN ADVANCE. THERE ARE NO WEEKEND DELIVERIES
         FROM THE WAREHOUSE.  
         (See Fact Sheet, "Using Material Retrieved From Remote
         Storage.")
      *  Request original eighteenth century newspapers and
         microprint on a special YELLOW eighteenth century call
         slip, kept at the center desk.
      *  Submit the completed call slips at the center desk.
      *  A FORM OF PHOTO-IDENTIFICATION MUST BE PRESENTED WITH THE
         CALL SLIP.
      *  Allow from 20 to 45 minutes for delivery of newspapers.
            

SELF-SERVICE NEWSPAPERS

Complete microfilm sets of six newspapers are in self-service cabinets: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, London Times, and London Sunday Times.

The current day and latest Sunday issue of the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, and Washington Times, and the current day of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today are displayed in the reading room.

Some of the CD-ROM databases have full-text of current newspaper articles.

PHOTOCOPYING

Photocopiers are available for current newsprint newspapers.

Reader-printers are available for newspapers on microfilm. (See signs near machines for cost of photocopies.)

Bound newspaper volumes MAY NOT be photocopied. See staff for information about the Photoduplication Service.