Written by: Isabella Bickhaus
Almost every time I click to read an interesting news article on my phone or laptop, I’m blocked by a paywall. Although I know how to use the library to find academic articles for free, news articles are a lot trickier. This struggle is one I know other students share.
Looking to get your hands on paper? Physical copies of current newspapers can be found in both Ellis Library and the Journalism Library on campus. In room 114 on the north wall, Ellis currently stocks these newspaper and magazine titles:
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Above these shelves are QR codes that provide access to digital versions of some listed newspapers, requiring an MU login. These items cannot be checked out, but there is no limit to in-library use. As tempting as it might be to fill out the crossword puzzles, please also refrain from writing on library copies! The Journalism Library stocks many of the same titles in front of its checkout desk.
If you’re looking for historical newspapers, the ProQuest Historical Newspapers digital database offers full-image copies of ten major historical newspapers. This database spans from 1850s New York Times articles all the way up to Kansas City Call articles from 2010. With over a century of articles, there are a myriad of topics to read about, like privateering in the Civil War, attending the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and organizing the 1984 LA Olympics. It is easy to narrow your search by date, article type, publication, and more. To learn how to find this database and other resources, check out this page “How Do I Find?” linked on the library’s home page.
To access current newspaper articles, one option for students is Factiva. This database provides access to global, national, and regional news articles from the past two weeks in 28 languages. The layout of this site is more like an academic database site and less like a general-use newspaper website. Because of this, ProQuest has provided a LibGuide on how to successfully navigate Factiva.
Still can’t get your hands on the article you want? Check out this guide from the Journalism Library for more resources. The new browser extension for MU students called Lean Library may also help you skip the paywall. You can also always ask for help either through the Libraries chat, via email, or by scheduling a quick consultation!
