Foreign newspapers are found in physical formats such as original print or microfilm, or in digital format. A newspaper could be held in one format or all three, depending on the date of publication.
Things to keep in mind:
Below is information on how to search the Library of Congress Online Catalog and the Library of Congress E-Resources Online Catalog, as well as a list of foreign newspaper-related research guides from other reading rooms.
The Library of Congress Online Catalog is the main access point for the Library's collections. Library of Congress collections contain over 162 million books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, music, recordings, images, and electronic resources. The online catalog contains 17 million records describing these collections.
If you have a newspaper citation and want to check our physical holdings:
Need more help searching the Library of Congress Online Catalog? Check out Search/Browse Help.
Stumped about a term or number in the Library of Congress Online Catalog? Here's what you might find in a foreign newspaper record:
| TERM OR NUMBER | WHAT IT MEANS |
|---|---|
| AMED RR or AMEDRR | African & Middle Eastern Reading Room |
| ASIAN RR or ASIANRR | Asian Reading Room |
| Current Issues Only | We keep print issues until they are reformatted (microfilmed or digitized). Certain dates are not available if being reformatted. Also known as "CIO." |
| EUR RR or EURRR | European Reading Room |
| Facsimile | A copy or reproduction |
| FT MEADE | We have bound volumes of original print issues located in off-site storage in Fort Meade, MD; these must be requested at least 3 days in advance of a visit to the NCPRR. |
| Microfilm | Scaled-down reproductions of newspapers on film to be viewed on a microfilm machine. Request using microfilm number. |
| Microprint/Micro-Opaque | Scaled-down reproductions of newspaper collection on cards to be viewed on a microfilm machine; most likely a Readex publication. |
| NCPR or NCPRR | Newspaper & Current Periodical Reading Room |
| NM | "Newspaper Microfilm" (the control number would follow this term, e.g. "NM 4478") |
| Np | Master or print negatives available for duplication via Duplication Services. |
| Only "Newspaper" | We may not have complete holdings; we usually keep print issues until reformatted (microfilmed or digitized); these may not be available if being reformatted. Check with reference staff for further holdings information. |
| Portfolio | A few single loose issues of original print newspapers stored in a large paper folder known as a portfolio. Call numbers generally have "X" at the end as an indication. ex: "Newspaper 8829-X: portfolio" |
| UNC | Unclassified call number. We likely do not have this title or it may be cataloged differently and appear in a different record. |
| 4598 call number | Part of a collection of brittle titles that cannot be served. |
The Library of Congress E-Resources Online Catalog provides discovery and access to electronic research tools (e-resources). The catalog includes licensed resources and free resources on the Web recommended by our reference staff.
If you have a newspaper citation and want to check our digital holdings:
Research guides to the Library's general collections of books and periodicals, as well as general subject guides, are prepared by Library of Congress reference librarians. Below is a sample of foreign newspaper related guides:
There are also a number of "Country Guides" or language-specific guides that include a selection of foreign newspaper holdings information. Here are just a few examples:
