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Newspaper databases provide content for hundreds of newspapers in a single place and may be more efficient than searching newspaper web sites for a specific story or idea. The Penn State Libraries provide access to many newspaper databases, each with unique content and special features. NewsCAT enables you to determine which news database includes the newspaper that you need.
General Search Tips
Searches can be performed with just a single characteristic, such as Title, Geography (Country, State, City), Language, Format, and Time Period. Or you may choose to search by any number of these options in combination.

However, be aware that you can define your search too broadly or too narrowly. If you are unsuccessful in early attempts, don’t give up. Refine your search following the tips below and try again.

If entering text into a search box, always check your spelling before searching. If you are unsure of the correct spelling of a title or city, choose other characteristics using drop-down menus to define your search to insure accuracy.
Title Searching
  • Omit the article (A, An, and The) of a title when entering it into the search box. Similarly, articles in foreign-language titles, such as El, Le, La, Les, O, Der, etc., also should be omitted.
    • The Times should be searched as Times
    • Le Monde should be searched as Monde
  • Check the spelling of the title entered into the search box. Make sure it is correct.
  • Search traditionally hyphenated titles without the hyphen. 
    • Times-Herald should be searched as Times Herald
  • If you do not get results with the full title, try a partial title search.
    • Plain Dealer rather than Cleveland Plain Dealer. Use Cleveland or Ohio as other limiters to narrow this search.
  • If you get many results using just a title search, limit your search with other search parameters, such as geography, language or time period.
    • Searching by the title, Times, Herald, or Sun will yield many results. As an option, use Sun with Maryland, Times with London, or Herald with 1875-1899
  • Beware of the inconsistencies in historical spellings, as in Brittish for British, Publick for Public, and Currant for Current. If no results are found with modern-day spellings, try a title keyword and use geography, language or time periods and try your search again.
Country Searching
  • Only countries for which the Penn State Libraries own news sources appear on the drop-down menu.
  • Because of the nature of some of the non-traditional news sources that appear in NewsCAT, such as news wires and web sites, their "geography" lies outside the boundaries of a single country. Therefore, geographic search terms such as "Africa," "Europe" or "International" will only yield results news sources that extend beyond national boundaries.
    • Searching "Africa" will not retrieve newspaper titles from Zimbabwe. It will retrieve news sources such as African Eye News Service. Use Zimbabwe for newspapers published in that country.
    • If you want a newspaper or other news source from a specific country, search by that country's name.
  • Titles for countries that have changed their political boundary or name over time are listed under their current geographic designation.
    • Titles that were published under the U.S.S.R. should be searched under Russia (Federation), Ukraine, Latvia, etc.
State Searching
  • The “State” search option is predominantly for news sources inside the United States, although it also may include names of provinces in Canada and Australia. For geographic searches outside of the United States, use Country and/or City.
City Searching
  • Check the spelling of the city entered into the search box. Make sure it is correct.
  • If no results are found using the city name, try broadening your search to “State” (if applicable) or “Country.” Some newspapers were or are published in more than one city over time, or in multiple cities in different editions.
  • For hyphenated cities, such as Wilkes-Barre or Winston-Salem, search without the hyphen or search one part of the city name.
Language Searching
  • News sources that are published in two languages (German and English) should be searched under the “foreign-language” (other than English) in which the newspaper is published.
Format Searching
  • “Newspaper” or “periodical” formats refer to the physical paper format of a newspaper. Newspapers are also preserved in microformat and electronic versions.
    • Microformats include microfilm, microfiche, and microprints. For more information about microforms, go to: Research Guides: Microforms 
    • Online” refers to any newspaper that is located in an electronic text database.
    • News sources other than newspapers are included in electronic text databases. These other sources can include:
      • news transcripts
      • news wires
      • websites
      • videos
      • blogs
Time Period Searching
  • Many of the time periods listed in the drop-down menu appear in 25-year increments. If searching for news sources that span two of these time periods, two courses of action can be taken; either performs multiple searches for each time period desired, or search all time periods and use other limiters to narrow your search.
  • Other categories include the following:
    • Before 1650--any newspaper that was published prior to 1650, regardless of date.
    • 2000-date--any newspaper or news source that builds an archive of  content, including electronic text databases.
    • Current issues--any newspaper that is a transient part of the collection, These include physical newspaper issues and electronic image newspaper databases, such as Press Display.
  • To locate a newspaper that is not available at the Penn State Libraries, try searching the Chronicling America database available through the Library of Congress, to locate other libraries that may have the title for which you are searching.

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Contact

Cheryl McCallips,
Acting Head News and Microforms Library
814-863-1365

Or your campus library


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