RESEARCH HELP
If you are in the UGA Main Library and have questions about using our newspaper microfilm collection or our online newspaper databases, come by the Reference Desk on the first floor (near the front entrance) and our staff there will be glad to help you.
If you are a remote user or if you have more detailed questions, please contact Research & Instruction Librarian Eric Griffith at ecg@uga.edu and I can assist you and provide guidance on the research process – for example, how to find out if the UGA Libraries own a particular newspaper on microfilm or if we have online full-text access through our databases, or figuring out which newspaper database might best suit your research needs.
Unfortunately, we do not have staff available to do the actual research process for patrons, such as scrolling through reels of microfilm for you in search of an article that you wish to find. Although the UGA Libraries' staff cannot perform genealogical research for patrons, many independent genealogical researchers are available for hire. Please see our list of Independent Researchers for Hire who provide research services for a fee.
MICROFILM COLLECTIONS AND VIEWING MACHINES
Microfilm is located in the basement of the UGA Main Library and is organized by call number. The UGA Libraries do not retain paper issues of newspapers.
Machines that you can use to view microfilm are also located in the basement of the UGA Main Library. We have several models of machines, both newer and older. The newest machines are located to the left as you exit the elevators in the basement (see the Floor Map for details). These newest machines will give you a range of options for output, such as printing documents, saving documents to your USB drive, or emailing documents. Printing from the microfilm reader machines is free.
If you would like assistance in locating the microfilm in the basement or with using the microfilm viewing machines, staff located at the nearby Media Desk in the basement can assist you. If that desk is closed, ask for help at the Reference Desk on the first floor.
ACCESS TO ONLINE NEWSPAPER DATABASES
Off-campus access to our subscription databases for full-text newspapers is limited to UGA faculty, staff, currently-enrolled students, or other UGA-affiliated users who are eligible for a password. When off-campus, these persons can login using their UGA MyID username & password, or with a password.
However, ALL persons are welcome to use our online databases by visiting any of the UGA Libraries buildings, or anywhere else on the UGA campus if you are using a computer or device that is connected to the campus network. When using the online databases from on-campus, there is no restriction on access or login required.
If you are not a UGA-affiliated user and you wish to use online newspaper databases from a location elsewhere than on the UGA campus, a set of newspaper databases available to all citizens of the state of Georgia can be accessed through the statewide GALILEO virtual library at http://www.galileo.usg.edu/library/ugalibs/types/newspapers/
While this set of databases is not as extensive as the full range of newspaper databases available to UGA-affiliated users, it does contain several large, useful databases such as Nexis Uni, EBSCO Newspaper Source Plus, and a range of databases from ProQuest. All Georgia citizens have access to these GALILEO databases through their public libraries. You can visit your public library to access the online databases, or you can obtain a password for remote access by following these instructions: How do I get a password?
Additionally, the Georgia Historic Newspapers project of the Digital Library of Georgia provides free access to digitized online versions of historical GA newspapers. These full-text historical newspapers are freely available to all users from any location.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN
If you are a remote user and would like to obtain materials from the UGA Libraries microfilm collection of newspapers, you can do so through a service called Interlibrary Loan. To submit a request through Interlibrary Loan, contact the Interlibrary Loan department of any library in your own community with which you are affiliated, for example your university library or your local public library. Staff in that Interlibrary Loan department can fulfill your requests by obtaining the materials you are seeking, either from the UGA Libraries or from some other library that also owns that particular newspaper.
