Newspapers

Libraries, historical societies, and archives usually keep copies of old newspapers in microfilm format. Digitized newspapers may be available on the internet for free or for a fee, or through a subscription service paid by your local library. Occasionally libraries will have copies of newspapers in their original print format. This guide can help you identify newspapers and figure out where to find them.

• • Newspapers in Libraries
  • How to Find Newspapers
  • Older Newspapers
  • Newspaper Archives and Indexes

Newspapers in Libraries

Public Libraries usually keep copies of their local newspapers, and many own microfilmed collections. Contact individual libraries for more information.

The Idaho State Archives owns the state’s largest collection of Idaho newspapers on microfilm and will loan copies of many of them through Interlibrary Loan. A list of their inventory is available online. The University of Idaho Library maintains a large collection of Idaho newspapers on microfilm. It is the only library that loans The Idaho Statesman on microfilm to other libraries. Use WorldCat to identify newspaper names and dates, and contact your local library to request microfilm through Interlibrary Loan.

How to Find Newspapers

• Gebbie Directory is a directory of newspapers and broadcast media. It is available in print or online format (for a fee). Gebbie Press all-in-one Directory. New Paltz, N.Y., Gebbie Press.
• Mondo Times is a guide to online world media
• WorldCat will provide you with the names of publications as well as the dates they were published and where they can be found in library collections. Use the advanced search in WorldCat to limit your search to newspapers.
• United States Newspaper Listing (USNPL) – directory of online newspapers
• Library of Congress
  • U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present, Library of Congress
  • Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress (National Digital Newspaper Program)

Older Newspapers

• Idaho newspapers in Chronicling America (dates cover roughly 1863 to 1922) Library of Congress
• Blackfoot Newspapers – BYU Idaho Digital Collections
• Eastern Idaho Newspapers – BYU Idaho Digital Collections
• The Idaho Statesman
  • Boise State University  – 1864 (July 26) to present
  • Boise Public Library  – 1864 (July 26) to present on microfilm
  • Boise Public Library  – 1864 (July 26) to present – Idaho Statesman NewsBank database
• Minidoka Irrigator – The Minidoka Irrigator was published by the inmates at the Minidoka concentration camp from 1942 to 1945.
  • Densho Digital Repository
  • Library of Congress
• Rexburg Newspapers – BYU Idaho Digital Collections
• Rigby Star – BYU Idaho Digital Collections
• Twin Falls Times News – Twin Falls Public Library
• Weiser Public Library online newspapers
  • Weiser American
  • Weiser City Leader
  • Weiser World
  • Weiser Signal
  • Weiser Signal American

Newspaper Archives and Indexes

• Archive.org
• Idaho Historical Society microfilm (PDF)
• Idaho History Clipping Files Index – Boise Public Library. Search for file names online. Visit the Main Boise Public Library to look at the files.
• Library of Congress
  • Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov – Newspapers digitized by the Library of Congress. Includes publications published between 1789 and 1963.
  • Newspaper Archives, Indexes & Morgues
  • U.S. Newspaper Directory published by the Library of Congress
• McCall Public Library keeps clippings of obituaries from Valley, Adams, Washington, and Latah counties.
• Catalog of Digital Historical Newspapers (NewspaperCat), University of Florida
• Google News Archive
• Newspapers.com – Pay to access newspapers through this online service. As of April 29, 2019, the following Idaho newspapers were listed on their site: The Bingham County News, Blackfoot, Idaho (1910-1922); The Caldwell Tribune, Caldwell, Idaho (1888-1922); Caribou County Sun, Soda Springs, Idaho (1915-1962); Elmore Bulletin, Rocky Bar, Idaho (1889-1905); Elmore County Republican, Mountain Home, Idaho (1910-1913); Gem Valley Chronicle, Grace, Idaho (1947-1948); Idaho Free Press, Nampa, Idaho (1965-1976); The Idaho Recorder, Salmon, Idaho (1904-1922); Idaho Semi-Weekly World, Idaho City, Idaho (1875-1893); Idaho State Journal, Pocatello, Idaho (1949-1977); The Idaho Statesman, Boise, Idaho (1864-1902); The Idaho World, Idaho City, Idaho (1864-1875); The Kendrick Gazette, Kendrick, Idaho (1903-1922); Lewiston Daily Teller, Lewiston, Idaho (1876-1900); Lewiston Evening Teller, Lewiston, Idaho (1903-1908); Lewiston Inter-State News, Lewiston, Idaho (1864-1902); Mountain Home Republican, Mountain Home, Idaho (1905-1875); The North Gem Herald, Bancroft, Idaho (1938-1948); The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, Idaho (1932-1950); The Teton Peak-Chronicle, St. Anthony, Idaho (1903-1905); The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho (1959-2019); The Wallace Miner, Wallace, Idaho (1907-1920); Wood River Times, Hailey, Idaho (1882-1893).
• Libraries:
  • Subscription databases such as Access World News, NewsBank, Newspaper Source Plus, or ProQuest may be available to you through your local library.
  • You may also be able to borrow copies of newspapers through your local library’s Interlibrary Loan program. Use WorldCat, or the Library of Congress’s U.S. Newspaper Directory to identify newspapers.
• OnlineNewspapers.com provides links to Idaho newspapers online.
• Pacific Northwest Regional Newspaper and Periodical Index – This index is provided by the Special Collections of the University of Washington Libraries. Citations back to 1996 are available online, along with some other select information. The rest of the index is available in the Special Collections Reference Area at the University of Washington in Seattle.
•  Use WorldCat to find newspaper holdings in libraries.

Updated by Ronnie Joiner on October 31, 2022.