The Library of Congress offers many tools, catalogs, and databases that are useful when searching for women in newspapers. As indicated, some tools require you you be onsite at the Library of Congress, but most tools are freely accessible online.
The Library of Congress subscribes to a list of databases to search full-text historical newspapers. Some of these databases include complete runs of newspapers. Listed below are some of the most frequently used and most comprehensive databases to search historical newspapers. The subscription resources marked with a padlock are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.
The print resources listed on this page link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.
These resources document the diversity and progress of newspaper publishing and offer a good introduction to the topic. Newspaper histories may refer to specific stories or columnists for which the newspaper is known.
Most major newspapers have a published history of the newspaper compiled by the newspaper itself or by independent historians. They may be useful starting points to finding information about women journalists—as long as the researcher knows the newspaper for which these particular journalists worked.
The print reference works listed on this page link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.
The print resources listed on this page link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.
Numerous bibliographies treat newspapers and newspaper history. Most general bibliographies refer to women in journalism, more often noting them in the index than devoting entire chapters to women.
The print resources listed on this page link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.
These resources list articles classified by subject, names, personal notices, advertising, illustrations, or other items found in a newspaper. You can use indexes to find pertinent articles about women or by women reporters. Be aware that for newspapers, there are no comprehensive retrospective indexes covering multiple titles over long time periods and many newspapers lack any kind of indexing at all.
The print resources listed on this page link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.
These directories identify newspaper titles published in specific locations or time periods.
This type of resource can assist in locating newspaper holdings beyond the Library of Congress and they verify the existence of newspapers. They may include useful editorial information and listings of variant titles.