The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar.  Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Description

Newspapers are frequently used primary sources for historical research. However, there are many features of historical newspapers that reflect the society of the past, and the economics of newspaper publishing, which may not be apparent to a 21st century reader.

Newspapers had their own purposes and audiences, and researchers should know these facts when looking into them. This webinar will discuss why historical newspapers presented information in the way they did, publishing practices that readers should be aware of, and preservation practices that affect which newspapers we have access to now (and how you might find some newspapers beyond the usual places). We will discuss more about a given newspaper, "reading" a newspaper by examinig it layout, and why reading a newspaper in microfilm is a different experience than using a database.

By the end of this webinar, the participant will be able to:

• Identify some aspects of newspaper as primary sources that required skeptical scrutiny
• Use tools that provide information about a newspaper's purpose, influence and circulation
• Discuss drawbacks and advantages of viewing newspapers in a database vs. microfilm
• Track down copies of newspaper editions that were not preserved in mirofilm

This webinar is for any librarian serving patrons who do historical research will be well-served by learning more about newspapers as evidence.

Presenters

The presenter, Steven A. Knowlton, is a Librarian for History and African American Studies at Princeton University. He has published a number of award-number articles using newspapers as primary sources, and currently serves as Chair of the RUSA History Section-Best Historical Materials Committee. 

Accessibility Information

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.