A promising but relatively unknown source of historical newspaper articles still under development is the
Newspaper Archive Elite database from EBSCO available through the Badgerlink project. Most libraries in Wisconsin have free Badgerlink access, plus home access is available to residents with cooperating Internet Service Providers.
The database can only be accessed through the Badgerlink website. Direct your browser to
http://www.badgerlink.net/ and click on the Ebscohost icon in the upper left rather than the
newspapers link. Then click on the link to
Newspaper Archive Elite.
Coverage is from 1759 to date and varies by newspaper.
The searching interface does not have the sophisticated search capabilities of a fee-based subscription database and navigation can be a bit clunky, and a
back to search results button only appears with newer additions to the database. A
revise search function is sorely needed. The database is still a work in progress, with new content being added continuously. Information on new content being added to the database can be viewed at
http://newspaperarchive.com/newcontent.aspx .
Searches are done in the full-text of the articles, and can be limited by date, country, state, city and even newspaper. Using the
view a specific newspaper feature allows you to see exactly which issues of a particular newspaper have been digitized. Coverage for Wisconsin is good and includes newspapers from some very small towns as well as larger cities. Whether it iss your grandfather's obituary or a larger topic like the Kohler strike, Newspaper Archive Elite can be a boon to researchers
