Don't be uninformed.

The 2 hours I spent at the Mitchel Library were really informative.  Gillian Gratton firstly gave us a bit of an overview of the resources at the library, then more specifics about newspapers.  Its a great workshop, and take a topic you would like to search with you as Gillian makes time to do this.  Its also great to see some of the 1953 newspapers 'in the flesh'.  If you would like to know what courses the library has, just click here.

So here are some of the things I have learned:

First thing to do is join NSW State Library - This is simple, just go the website http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/  and then on the right of the page is a drop down box.

Click on this and select <get a library card>

Fill out the form and the card will be sent to you in a few days, otherwise you can pick it up from the library.

Once you have a library card, go back to the website and click on e-resources

This will take you to the e resources home page, below:

Lots to see here, but two things that will be of immediate interest are

• NEWSPAPERS
• FAMILY HISTORY

Also ASK A LIBRARIAN - this is where you can get a quick question answered, the quickest was is by telephone, but you can use fax, email or post. Great if you get stuck and do'nt know what you are looking at!

Start by checking out the Family History section.  When you first go to it, there will only be the most popular resources.  Click on the box next to FAMILY HISTORY on the left hand side and you will get a lot more.

 

You will see the list is quite long, and the ACCESS TYPE is important.  You can click to see three types of resources:

1. In the library, or anywhere with a library card.  This means you will usually be able to view online. 
2. Only in the library, means it will be on something that is not digitised and can only be viewed at the library.  Sometimes this means it will need to be brought to the library for you, and may take a day to obtain.  You can request it online, and go into the library the next day to view it.  It includes microfiche and CD's that are available at the library anytime as well.
3. Publicly available will be sites that are available to anyone, sometimes at a fee.  Australian Womens Weekly is here, as is 1901 British census.  Some great resources here.

Note: Access to Ancestry and Find my Past are available AT THE LIBRARY for free, using the library edition access.  Great when you have a lot of things to look up, and no cash! (like me).  There is a wealth of resources to browse.

If you click on NEWSPAPERS (instead of family history - back at the e-reseource home page.
Select ALL and 50 PER PAGE and you will find some gems.

The first one on the list is 17-18th century newspapers from London. 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers (Gale)   hover over the name and you will have a box telling you all about the newspaper; click on the name and you will go to its search page.  In this case, it goes back to the 1600's, here is one of the pages:

 

Love the language!   Some of the really interesting 'newspapers' were:

•  Factiva which concentrates on financial news
• Proquest which has Australian and New Zealand newspapers
•  SMH 1955- 1995 (so these are not on TOVE)
• British newspapers 1600-1900
• Australian Womens weekly (couldn't resist this one from 1955 - are you a Drack or a Dream?)

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There is so much to see!  Just try browsing.

"If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed.

 If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.”

Mark Twain. 

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