Newspaper resources
This is a guide to the print, non-print and electronic newspaper holdings of the University of Southampton, with searchable indexes and web links to other sources.
Print sources
Daily newspapers (Guardian, Independent, Times and Financial Times) are available at most of the library sites, although they are not usually kept for more than a few weeks. Print copies will sometimes be retained until we receive the microfilm or electronic version of the title. Please see WebCat for full details of holdings.
Microfilm sources
Most microfilms at Hartley are kept on the far right of Level 1. This holds copies of the Times going back to 1785, the Independent from 1986 and Financial Times from 1970. Local newspapers from the Cope Collection are also stored here on microfilm - for details of these holdings see Local History - newspapers. There are facilities in this room to read and print from both microfilm and microfiche. The Photocopying staff will be able to provide assistance during office hours.
Full text electronic sources
The following are full text services which the University of Southampton has a subscription to. They are searchable by keyword and updated frequently, making them the most effective option if searching for more recent articles.
Gale databases
- Gale databases - Institutional login required off campus.
Gale databases give access to the following contemporary and historical newspaper resources:-
"Newpaper" database
Gale's "Newpaper" database covers the Times, Independent/Independent Sunday, Guardian/Observer and Financial Times from 1985 to the present.
17th-18th century Burney Collection newspapers
This offers access to 1 million newspaper pages, newsbooks, Acts of Parliament, addresses, broadsides, pamphlets and proclamations from the British Isles and British colonies 1600-1800.
- 17th-18th century Burney Collection newspapers - Institutional login required off campus.
Nineteenth Century British Library Newspapers
This offers access to full runs of 48 19th century newspapers.
- Nineteenth Century British Library Newspapers - Institutional login required off campus.
British Newspapers 1600 -1900
This gives unified access to both the historical collections mentioned above.
- British Newspapers 1600 -1900 - Institutional login required off campus.
Nexis UK
This database covers a wide range of local papers and national sources (including full text tabloids) and many European news sources in Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Formerly known as FT Discovery, it also includes a lot of financial and company information.
- Nexis UK - On campus.
- Nexis UK - Off campus (Institutional login required).
Indexes to newspaper articles
The University subscribes to several indexing services which enable you to search for newspaper articles by keyword combinations or subject headings.
Printed indexes
Please note that the term index means that a reference is given where an article can be found, but there is no direct link to full text.
The Microform room at Hartley houses a printed index to the Times alongside the microfilms: Palmer's Index to the Times (1790 - 1905), followed by the Official Index to the Times (1905 - current). The Clover Newspaper Index (1986 -1998), which becomes the Newspaper Index (1998 - current) can also be found here. This indexes the Daily Telegraph, Economist, Guardian, Observer, Independent, as well as the Times, Financial Times and all Educational and Literary supplements.
Electronic indexes
Please note that the term index means that a reference is given where an article can be found, but there is no direct link to full text.
- Palmer's Index to the Times (1790 -1905) is also searchable online but restricted to campus use only.
Websites
Home Pages
The following home pages are all freely accessible but you will not usually be able to access their archived material:-
Other sources
- Southampton Central Library
- The Reference Library in the City centre is a rich source of local material with microfilm copies of some titles going back to the nineteenth and even eighteenth century.
- The British Library Newspaper Collections - help for researchers
- This page gives information on the British Library's newspaper collections. (Search the Newspaper catalogue subset on the BL Integrated Catalogue to locate the titles you require.)
- Foreign Language News and Newspapers
- This MIT-maintained page links to some freely available European and East Asian language newspapers. (For full text access to over 90 non-English European titles, see also Nexis UK above.)
For more online news have a look at our News resources page.


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