Patrick’s Academic Corner: Newspaper Archives

Need primary or secondary material for a presentation or paper? The Research section in the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers website is here to help. Danvers residents and patrons using our public computers or Wi-Fi have access to databases covering a wide range of topics: e-books, peer reviewed journals, news archives, and more. These online resources are a treasure trove of historical and genealogical material. Want to know the date of your great-grandparent’s wedding? Through these databases you can find wedding announcements, sports scores, and other information. In addition to online archives the library has several microfilm collections, running from 1800’s to present day.

ProQuest – Boston Globe (1872-Current)
More than just a newspaper archive, the ProQuest E-briary grants access to three databases: Boston Globe (1980 – Present), ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Boston Globe (1872-1985), and Ebook Central. The user friendly interface can search all three databases simultaneously. Newspaper articles can be viewed by section, page, or the entire issue. They can be saved, e-mailed, and cited in a variety of styles. With Ebook Central, books can be read online or downloaded to an e-reader.

GALE – New York Times (1985-Current)
The New York Times GALE database has several of the options provided by ProQuest. The interface supports citations and the ability to print or email material. Downloads are mostly limited to html files or saved via a cloud drive. Articles can be listened to online, or downloaded as a MP3 file. In addition GALE can translate articles into twenty two different languages, with some of the translations available in an audio format.

Newspaper Source – Various (1989-Current)
This EBSCOHOST database is not limited to newspapers. Transcripts from radio and television are available alongside local, national, and international papers. The site limits saved articles to HTML format, but they can be printed out, cited, and listened to online. Similar to the GALE database, articles can be translated into thirty two different languages.

NewsBank – Danvers Herald (2005-Current)
For those doing local research the Peabody Institute of Danvers offers access to the Danvers Herald online. Results can be saved as a PDF, e-mailed, printed, or cited. The interface will suggest related articles, or by the same author.

As an additional resource, our reference section has several local and national newspapers collections on microfilm. The local papers include: Danvers Mirror (January 5, 1878 – December 17th, 1920), Danvers Herald (September 24th, 1920 – December 31, 2004), and Salem News (January 1984 – December 1987, January 1999 – December 2011). The national papers include: the Boston Globe (1979-2006) and The New York Times (1964 – 2010). Our microfilm collection also contains transcripts from the Watergate trial and directories for the city of Salem. Material can be printed out, saved to an external drive, or sent via email.

Not a Danvers resident, or otherwise constrained by time and space? The Ask the Librarian section can help. Information requests can be submitted to our reference department by phone, email or online form. Our reference librarians can provide electronic or printed copies of articles*, brief answers, and advice on other avenues of research.

*Printed articles are 5¢ per page for black and white, or 25¢ per page for color.