Newspapers at the BPL: Historical Newspapers — Databases

Newspaper resources at the Boston Public Library and beyond.

Historical Newspaper Databases

On this page you will find a link to the Library's remote access policy, followed by descriptions of the newspaper databases to which the library subscribes.

HIstorical Newspaper & News Publications Databases — Descriptions

17th & 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers This link opens in a new window
The newspapers, pamphlets, broadsides and books gathered by the Reverend Charles Burney (1757-1817) represent the largest and most comprehensive collection of early English news media. The present digital collection contains approximately 1,270 titles from London, the British Isles, and the colonies. Local Coverage: Boston Gazette (1721-1722); New England Courant (1721-1723).
19th Century US Newspapers This link opens in a new window
19th Century U.S. Newspapers provides access to primary source newspaper content from the 19th century, featuring full-text content and images from numerous newspapers from a range of urban and rural regions throughout the U.S.. Among other titles are the Boston Daily Advertiser, 1855-1899; Boston Courier, 1826-1898; Boston Daily Atlas, 1832-1857; Liberator, 1831-1865.
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection
Partnering with the American Antiquarian Society (AAS), EBSCO provides digital access to a comprehensive collection of American periodicals published between 1684 and 1912 in fifty subject-based thematic subsets.
American Indian Newspapers
American Indian Newspapers is a collection of newspapers, ranging from historic pressings to contemporary periodicals, which together explore nearly 200 years of Indigenous print journalism from the US and Canada.
Ancestry Library Edition This link opens in a new window
Ancestry Library edition, via Ancestry.com
In Ancestry, hit “Search”, then “Card Catalog”, and then filter by “Newspapers & Publications.”
Although not primarily a newspaper database, Ancestry.Library edition does include among others:
Illustrated London News; Ireland, Newspapers, 1763-1890; Stars and Stripes Newspaper, Europe, Mediterranean, and North Africa Editions, 1942-1964; Stars and Stripes Newspaper, Pacific Editions, 1945-1963; Stars and Stripes Newspaper, WWI Edition, 1918-1919 The Boston Jewish Advocate Index to Obituary Notices, 1905-2007; The Boston Jewish Advocate Wedding Announcements, 1905-2007; The London Gazette (London, England), 1825-1962; The Times, (London, England) 1788-1833; U.S., African American Newspapers, 1829-1947; U.S., 'Happy Days' Newspaper of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1940
AP Newsroom
AP Newsroom is a research tool that allows you to search databases of photographs, audio, graphics, and text spanning over 160 years of history. The content is primary source, and is provided by The Associated Press®. From simple keyword searching to more complex searches such as concept, color, and category, you can access over 4.6 million photographs dating back to 1826 and as current as a few moments ago. Tens of thousands of graphics, more than 4,500 hours of audio files dating from the 1920’s, and news stories and headlines dating from 1997 will be at your fingertips.
Archives Unbound This link opens in a new window
Although not primarily a newspaper database, Archives Unbound includes a component of “Confederate Newspapers: A Collection from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama.” This collection is a mixture of issues and papers from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Alabama ranging from 1861-1865. Date Range: 1860-1865
Boston Globe (1872-1993) via Proquest This link opens in a new window
The Historical Boston Globe collection offers both full page and article digital images in PDF format with searchable full text back to the first issue
Boston Globe (1980-Present) This link opens in a new window
The Historical Boston Globe collection offers both full page and article digital images in PDF format with searchable full text back to the first issue
British Library Newspapers This link opens in a new window
19th Century British Newspapers, parts 1-4, The 19th Century British Newspapers collection contains full runs of 120 selected newspapers from 1739 to 1950.
Chronicling America This link opens in a new window
Chronicling America is a Website providing access to information about historic newspapers and select digitized newspaper pages, and is produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). NDNP, a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages. Supported by NEH, this rich digital resource will be developed and permanently maintained at the Library of Congress. An NEH award program will fund the contribution of content from, eventually, all U.S. states and territories.
Coverage: 1836-1922
Financial Times Historical Archive 1888-2009 This link opens in a new window
The Financial Times Historical Archive delivers the complete searchable run of this City of London daily business newspaper. Every item ever printed in the paper, from 1888-2009, can be searched and browsed article by article and page by page.
Gale Academic OneFile Select This link opens in a new window
From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers with full text and images.

Coverage: 1980-present
Gale General OneFile This link opens in a new window
Access to more than 3,100 full-text periodicals, 89 newswire services, and five major American newspaper indexes covering a diverse set of topics.
Gale Newsvault This link opens in a new window
This resource allows users to simultaneously search or browse across multiple historical national and regional newspaper and periodical archive collections licensed from Gale. Collections that may be included are: 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers; 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part 1; 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part 2; 19th Century U.S. Newspapers; British Newspapers, Part 3: 1780-1950; Economist Historical Archive; Financial Times Historical Archive; Listener Historical Archive; Sunday Times Digital Archive; Times Digital Archive.
Gale OneFile: News
Local Coverage Includes:
Cape Cod Times(Hyannis, MA) Sept 18, 2002-Nov 5, 2014
Jewish Advocate (Boston, MA) Aug 22, 1991 - Current
Lowell Sun (Lowell, MA) Feb 27, 2003 - May 12, 2008
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) Feb 14, 1989 - May 5. 2015
International Herald Tribune Historical Archive (1887-2013)
The International Herald Tribune Historical Archive (1887-2013) features the complete archive of the International Herald Tribune from its origins as the European Edition of The New York Herald and later the European Edition of the New York Herald Tribune. The archive ends with the last issue of the International Herald Tribune before its relaunch as the International New York Times.
The Irish Times (1859-2022)
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The Historical Irish Times collection offers both full page and article digital images in PDF format with searchable full text. Also includes the Irish Weekly Times and Irish Pictorial.
The Jewish Advocate (1905-1990)
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The Historical Jewish Advocate collection offers both full page and article digital images in PDF format with searchable full text.
MyHeritage Library Edition
MyHeritage Library Edition is one of the largest, most internationally diverse genealogy databases of its kind. It provides access to billions of historical documents, millions of historical photos, and other resources in thousands of databases that span the past five centuries.
Newspaper Archive
Searchable full-page reproductions of historical newspapers, some of which were made from the collections of the Boston Public Library. Boston coverage includes: Boston Globe (morning and evening editions), 1872-1922; Boston Post, 1831-1922. Also includes historical newspapers published in these states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, D.C., New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
New York Times (1851-2021) This link opens in a new window
The Historical New York Times collection offers both full page and article digital images in PDF format with searchable full text back to the first issue.
New York Times (1985-Present) This link opens in a new window
Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1985. Updated daily.
Coverage: 1985 - current.
New York Times (current edition)
Up-to-the-moment access to nytimes.com with no limit on the number of articles viewed. Read today's news stories as they happen. Unlimited access while connected to the internet at the library. A limited number of 72-hour passes are available daily for home or remote use. This resource requires you to create a free individual account. You may use your existing nytimes.com account, if you have one.
PressReader This link opens in a new window
PressDisplay is the most convenient and complete way to read all your favorite newspapers and magazines on one site. With PressDisplay, you have access to publications from within the library on the day they are published. Instant access to 4000+ newspapers from 100 countries in 6o languages. Includes the previous 60 days.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery: a Transnational Archive This link opens in a new window
Although not primarily a newspaper database Slavery and Anti-Slavery includes a component of 170 newspapers.. Slavery and Anti-Slavery includes collections on the transatlantic slave trade, the global movement for the abolition of slavery, the legal, personal, and economic aspects of the slavery system, and the dynamics of emancipation in the U.S. as well as in Latin America, the Caribbean, and other regions.
Sunday Times (London) Digital Archive (1822-2006) This link opens in a new window
Since 1822, The Sunday Times has provided thoughtful analysis and commentary on the week's news and society at large.
Times (London) Digital Archive (1785-2014) This link opens in a new window
First published in 1785, The Times of London is widely considered to be the world's 'newspaper of record.' The Times Digital Archive allows users to search over 200 years of this invaluable historical source.

Note in regard to Early American Newspapers / Newsbank

The Boston Public Library is no longer able to provide access to the following electronic resources through NewsBank: America’s Historical Imprints; America’s Historical Newspapers; American Broadsides and Ephemera; American State Papers; Archive of Americana; Early American Imprints (Evans & Shaw-Shoemaker); US Congressional Serial Set.