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News Sources

Recommended resources and search tips for finding news in a variety of formats. Includes how to find international newspapers, historical newspapers, articles with a particular viewpoint, how to evaluate sources, and much more.

University of Michigan (U-M) Sources

The Michigan Daily

  • Current issues available on www.michigandaily.com
  • Michigan Daily Digital Archive (search issues from 1890-2014).
  • Microfilm: The full run of the paper is also available on microfilm, in Serials and Microforms room in 203 Hatcher North, under the call number FILM X211 (an Index to Ann Arbor newspapers serves as a microfilm index for the Michigan Daily for the period 1976-1984. The call number is MICRO-F X236.)
  • In print: current paper issues are available at the Graduate Library in the Serials and Microforms room, 203 Hatcher North

Paper copies of issues from 1968-1969 are available from the Graduate Library Circulation Department, room 104. Ask for the folio volume, LH1.M624 D2.

For primary source materials (original documents) and historical information pertaining to the University of Michigan, visit the Bentley Historical Library located on north campus at 1150 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Phone 734-764-3482, Fax 734-936-1333. The Bentley Historical Library has a number of resources relating to the history of newspapers in Michigan, in addition to their collections of the newspapers themselves. Their web page includes a checklist of newspapers in the Michigan Historical Collections.

The University Record

Online version available from September 1992 - 2002. This site allows you to navigate to a particular issue. The search box no longer works but you can search later issues at the University of Michigan gateway site. Include "University Record" in your search.

Paper copies of Volumes 1-4 1891/1892-1894/1895 and Volumes 1-5, 1938-1943/1944 are available at Buhr. Use the call numbers LD3258 .U6 and LD3258 .U61, respectively, to retrieve.

Paper copies of years 1949-1968,1976-present are available in the Graduate Library under the call number LD 3258 .U611.

On microfilm, 1891-1944, 1949-present is available in Serials/Microforms Services on the second floor of the Graduate Library, under the call number, FILM X1622.

Ann Arbor News Sources

Current and recent Ann Arbor papers

Ann Arbor News

Online you can view the Ann Arbor News from June 11, 2003 to July 23, 2009.

The full run of the print newspaper (1890 - 2009) is available on microfilm at the Graduate Library in Serials and Microfilm Services in 205 Hatcher North. Ask for FILM X975.

The Ann Arbor District Library is digitizing articles from the Ann Arbor News as well as many of the photos taken by Ann Arbor News photographers. Some of those photos were published in the Ann Arbor News while others were never published. This database is called Old News. Note that the Ann Arbor District Library estimates that it will take about 20 years to digitize all the content they have available but they are open to requests from patrons in determining which articles and photos will get priority in the digitization process. You can contact the staff at AADL to provide input on what you might like to see digitized in the near future.

An Index to Ann Arbor newspapers serves as a microfilm index for the Ann Arbor News for the period 1976-1984. Located at the Buhr shelving facility, the call number is MICRO-F X236 and can be requested via the library catalog record.

To search for older articles by subject, contact the Ann Arbor District Library  by emailing them at oldnews@aadl.org and give them as many details as possible on what you are looking for. They will check an old clippings file that covers articles up to 2003 from the Ann Arbor News, the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News on subjects related to the Ann Arbor area. In addition they will check an archive of photographs they received from the Ann Arbor News. They also provide an online resource called  Old News archive, which includes not just the Ann Arbor News, but also the Signal of Liberty, The Ann Arbor Argus and The Ann Arbor Courier. Browse by topic, places, people and events.

 

Michigan Historical Newspapers - searchable page images of several Ann Arbor, Flint and Jackson newspapers, among others. Includes: 

  • ANN ARBOR: The True Democrat 1845-1849; Michigan Argus 1879-1907; Ann Arbor Daily Argus 1898-1907;  Ann Arbor Daily Times 1903-1908; Ann Arbor News-Argus 1907-1908; Ann Arbor News 1909-1922

  • Flint Journal 1898-1922

 

Ann Arbor Observer

Current paper issues are available at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms room in 205 Hatcher North. These are held until the microfilm is received.

The full run (from 1976-present) is available on microfilm at the Graduate Library in Serials and Microforms (205 Hatcher North), under the call number FILM X1214.

An Index to Ann Arbor newspapers serves as a microfilm index for the Ann Arbor Observer for the period 1976-1984. The call number is MICRO-F X236 and can be found in Serials/Microforms Services on the second floor of the Graduate Library.

The Ann Arbor Observer's Then and Now columns are digitized and available online.

 

Ann Arbor Observer City Guide (annual)

This publication is received by the Bentley Historical Library, which is located on north campus. They have issues from l987/l988-2002/2003. The call number is 0293 Cc 2.

The Bentley Historical Library is located on north campus at 1150 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Phone 734-764-3482, Fax 734-936-1333. They have a number of resources relating to the history of newspapers in Michigan, in addition to their collections of the newspapers themselves. Their web page includes a checklist of newspapers in the Michigan Historical Collections.

 

Old News (Ann Arbor District Library)

AADL database that contains some digitized content from older Ann Arbor newspapers such as the Signal of Liberty, the Ann Arbor Argus, and the Ann Arbor Courier. Includes some content from the Ann Arbor News as well as some content from the Ann Arbor News photo files that were never published. Details about the Old News database and coverage of individual newspapers is at http://oldnews.aadl.org/papers. This collection is expected to grow slowly over time. Feedback from those using the database will influence digitization priorities.


Ann Arbor Underground Newspapers

The Bentley Historical Library has a number of underground newspapers that were produced in Ann Arbor. The majority of these papers are in the original format and cannot be photocopied. For more information, consult, "The Underground Press in Michigan: A Bibliography based on the Resources of the Michigan Historical Collections," Bentley Historical Library (Ann Arbor: Michigan Historical Collections, 1982) (Call number: PN 4897 .M62 C77 in the Special Collections Research Center, Call number: 0052 Bimu 2 in the Bentley Historical Library.)

The Bentley Historical Library is located on north campus at 1150 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Phone 734-764-3482, Fax 734-936-1333. They have a number of resources relating to the history of newspapers in Michigan, in addition to their collections of the newspapers themselves. Their web page includes a checklist of newspapers in the Michigan Historical Collections.

 

Current Magazine

Current issues of Current are available in the magazine racks in the south lobby of the Graduate Library.

 

An Index to Ann Arbor Newspapers

This serves as a microfilm index for the Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor Observer, and the Michigan Daily, for the period 1976-1984. The call number is MICRO-F X236 and can be found in Serials/Microforms Services on the second floor of the Graduate Library.

Detroit News Sources

Detroit News

Detroit News Archive (1873 - present) via Access World News database (1988-1999 currently incomplete). Page images for historical content (1873-1988); html full-text of articles from 1999-present.

  • Facsimile of the print edition available online for the last sixty days via Press Reader database.
  • Selected articles are available online from the previous week.
  • Some of the photographs from the Detroit News are available online through Wayne State University's Virtual Motor City Collection.
  • Current paper issues are available at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms room in 205 Hatcher North. These are held until the microfilm is received.
  • CD News: Detroit News is a CD-ROM that contains full-text from 1992-1998. It is located in Graduate Library Serials and Microforms Services under the call number CD_ROM GLX4.
  • The full run (from 1873- present) is available on microfilm at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms Services (205 Hatcher North), under the call number FILM X881.
  • The printed Detroit News Index for issues from 1976-present is located in the Graduate Library Reference Room, call number AI 21. D48
  • The Archives of Michigan have digitized the Detroit News card catalogOriginally compiled by The Detroit News, this subject index of The Detroit News newspaper totals more than 1 million index cards. Tables of PDF files are arranged alphabetically by subject and date approximately from the late 1800’s to the late 1990’s. Use the card catalog to identify articles that you can then view on microfilm at the Graduate Library. Note that this is not a comprehensive index.
  • There is a Detroit News library at the newspaper office. Staff there may be able to help with research. The library will look up one or two brief citations by phone. There is a minimum charge of $25 for anything more than that. The library is very short staffed so asks that you be patient in waiting for a response from them. The staff will give you citations rather than full text. The full text is available on microfilm at the Graduate Library (see note above). The Detroit News library is not open to the public, but serious researchers who have been approved by the publisher may use the library. Call (313) 222-2090.

Detroit Free Press

Current paper issues are available at the Hatcher Graduate Library in the Serials/Microforms area, room 205 Hatcher North. These are held until the microfilm is received.

The full run (from 1831-present) is available on microfilm at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms Services (205 Hatcher North), under the call number FILM X442. The microfilm is also available digitally from 2008-present (you can browse page images, but are not able to search the text).

  • 1831- 1999 via ProQuest (includes page images; different date ranges are searchable in different ways)
  • 1999-present via ProQuest's Gannett Newsstand database (no page images for these years, just text)
  • Online index for articles from 1837-2015, available from the Detroit Free Press. Search here, determine the article that you need (note the date, page number and headline), and then use either one of the online resources listed above, or view the microfilm at the Graduate Library (see above).
  • Separate index for the Detroit Free Press that covers most articles published from 1831-1922 and 1999 to the present; follow same steps as above.

The card catalog at Detroit Public Library's Burton Historical Collection indexes articles from the Detroit Free Press as well as other Detroit newspapers. This is not a comprehensive index of the Detroit Free Press.

 

Michigan Chronicle

Available online from Ethnic Newswatch from 1994-present. Choose 'Advanced Search.' Type Michigan Chronicle in the Publication Title field and then enter your search terms.

Also available online from Access World News from July 12, 2006 to the present.

"Black Newspapers Index" is located in the Graduate Library under the call number AI3 .I417. It indexes the Michigan Chronicle from 1976 until the present. Note that coverage varies from volume to volume.

Current paper issues are available at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms in 205 Hatcher North. These are held until the microfilm is received.

The microfilm from 1939 to the present is available at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms in 205 Hatcher North under the call number Film X626.

 

Metro Times

Current issues are often available in the magazine racks in the south lobby of the Graduate Library.

Browse past issues back as far as 1997, by department or section. Click on the ARCHIVES link in the left column.

 

Michigan Frontpage

Current paper issues are available at the Graduate Library in Serials/Microforms in 205 Hatcher North.

 

 

Other Resources

Michigan Advance is a non-profit, non-partisan state news site that covers state politics and policy - health care, business, environment, civil rights, labor, government. Part of the States Newsroom network, begun in 2019.  

"Michigan Newspapers on Microfilm," is available in the Graduate Library Reference Room. (Z6952 .M6 M64 1985). This is a list of Michigan Newspapers.

Michigan Newspaper Family Histories, hosted by the Library of Michigan, provides information about the history of Michigan newspapers.

"A history of the newspapers of Ann Arbor, 1829-1920," by Louis William Doll. This is located in the reference room of the Graduate Library under the call number, PN 4899 .A63 D66 1959.

Library Research Guide about Detroit created by Rebecca Price, the urban planning selector. Lots of links to information sources about the city of Detroit.