Search

Finding 18th and 19th Century Periodical Articles and Literature

This guide lists tools for finding English language material from journals and newspapers before the 20th century. The focus is on indexes, searchable databases, and microform sets available at Bobst. Some resources available elsewhere in the Metropolitan Area are also mentioned. If materials are not available at Bobst, you may be eligible to borrow them through interlibrary loan. For more information on interlibrary loan, please see: http://library.nyu.edu/services/ill.html

Librarian for Finding 18th and 19th Century Periodical Articles and Literature

 

Andrew Lee
Librarian for History
Phone: (212) 998-2633
E-mail: andrew.lee@nyu.edu

 

NYU Links

Related Subject Guides

  • U.S. History

  • Historical News Resources

  • Primary Sources in U.S. History

  • English and American Literature

Research Assistance

Internet Links

Indexes to General Interest Periodicals and Newspapers

Indexes:

An index provides subject-access, author-access, and/or title-access to articles in periodical literature. Indexes can be either print volumes or keyword searchable databases, and can provide citations, abstracts, and/or full-text (in the case of some databases). Most of the print indexes listed below are citation indexes.

  • New York Daily Tribune Index. (1875-1906) New York: Tribune Association, 1876-1907. 31 v.
    Format: Print
    Location: New York Public Research Library, Columbia University
    ** Also available through the Nineteenth Century Masterfile **
    [The New York Daily Tribune (1841-1924) is available in microfilm on LL2]
  • The New York Times Index. Prior Series. (1851-1912) New York: The New York Times Company, 1851-1912.
    Format: Electronic
    [The New York Times (1851-present) is available in microfilm on LL2]
    ** The New York Times is available in full-text PDF images, fully searchable in the Historical Newspapers project from ProQuest **.
  • Niles' Register, Cumulative Index. (1811-1949) Malvern, Pa.: Accessible Archives, 1995.
    Index to the early U.S. magazine published in Baltimore; contains information of national importance as well.
    Format: CD-ROM
    Location: REF1
    [The Niles Weekly Register (1814-1837) is available in microfilm on LL2 (Film 277 APS II R168-177, R254-260) and in Special Collections, 3rd Floor, in Print (JK1.N5)]
  • Nineteenth Century Masterfile
    Includes access to Poole's Index, Palmer's Index to the [London] Times, Index to the New York Daily Tribune (1875-1906), and more.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Nineteenth Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, 1890-1899. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1944.
    Check the front of the first volume for a list of sources indexed.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .R47
  • Palmer's Index to the [London] Times. (1790-1905) Shepperton, England : Samuel Palmer, 1790-1905.
    Format: Print
    Location: LowerLevel2 AI29.T49 (shelved above microforms)
    ** Also available through the Nineteenth Century Masterfile **
    [The London Times (1788-present) is available in microfilm on LL2]
  • Poole's Index to Periodical Literature. (1802-1881) Rev. ed. 1 v. in 2 v. New York: P. Smith, 1938.
    A very important index for American and English Periodicals of the 19th century.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .P82 1881a
    ** Also available through the Nineteenth Century Masterfile **
  • Supplements, Jan 1882-1907. 5 v. Boston, Houghton, 1887-1908.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .P82
  • Cumulative Author Index for Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, 1802-1906. Compiled and edited by C. Edward Wall, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Pierian Press, 1971.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .P82 Index
  • Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900. Walter E. Houghton, editor. London: Routledge and K. Paul. 1966-79.
    Intended to supplement Poole's Index, this index is author-focused, providing bibliographies and tables of contents.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .W45

Searchable Full-Text Resources

  • American Periodical Series
    The American Periodical Series contains American magazines of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Series I covers magazines that began publication before 1800; Series II, magazines that began publication between 1800 and 1850; and Series III, magazines that began publication between 1850 and 1900.
    Titles are cataloged individually in Bobst.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html / [Also on Microform: LL2 Film #277]
  • Early American Newspapers
    Early American Newspapers is a collection of 18th and early 19th century newspapers from all parts of the 13 colonies and the United States.
    Titles are cataloged individually in Bobst.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html/ [Also on Microform: LL2 Film #350; Microprint MP8]
  • Early British Periodicals. (1681-1921)
    Conatains British periodicals on varied subjects, including many literary magazines, from 1681-1921; 168 titles in all. Guide includes brief descriptions of the magazines; title, subject and editor indexes; and reel guide.
    Titles are cataloged individually in Bobst.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html / [Also on Microfilm: LL2 Film #599]
  • English Literary Periodicals
    Reproduces 341 titles published in Britain from the 17th to the 19th centuries. While primarily literary in nature, encompasses a wide variety of subject matter. Guide provides access by periodical title, author, editor and reel number.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html / [Also on Microfilm: LL2 Film #598]
  • The Wall Street Journal from Proquest's Historical Newspapers. (1889-1989)
    This database is a fully searchable, complete reproduction of the Wall Street Journal. All articles and issues are available in PDF format.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html [once in Proquest, scroll down to "ProQuest Historical Newspapers" and select Wall Street Journal.]
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • The Washington Post from Proquest's Historical Newspapers. (1877-1990)
    This database is a fully searchable, complete reproduction of the Washington Post. All articles and issues are available in PDF format.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html [once in Proquest, scroll down to "ProQuest Historical Newspapers" and select Washington Post.]
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • HarpWeek. (1857-1912) Norfolk, VA : HarpWeek, 1997-.
    A searchable index to the content of Harper's Weekly, beginning with 1857. Provides access to the illustrations, cartoons, news, literature, editorials, and advertisements via controlled thesauri, as well as full-text search capability, and scanned images of each issue. The index will be updated periodically to reflect new information.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Internet Library of Early Journals
    ILEJ is a joint project by the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford. It aims to digitize substantial runs of 18th and 19th century British journals, and make these images available on the Internet, together with their associated bibliographic data. The core collection for the project are runs of at least 20 consecutive years of three 18th-century journals: Gentleman's Magazine, The Annual Register, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society and three 19th-century journals: Notes and Queries, The Builder, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ilej/
    Access: Not Restricted
  • JSTOR
    JSTOR contains full text of selected humanities, social science and science journals, beginning with the first issue. Select journals date from the 19th century.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Making of America Journals: 19th Century
    MOA is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. The collection currently contains approximately 8,500 books and 50,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints. Journals included are: Appleton's 1869-1881; Catholic World 1865-1901; DeBow's 1846-1869; Garden and Forest 1888-1897; Ladies Repository 1841-1876; The Old Guard 1864; Overland Monthly 1868-1900; Princeton Review 1831-1882; Southern Literary Messenger 1835-1864; Southern Quarterly Review 1842-1857; Vanity Fair 1860-1862.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://www.hti.umich.edu/m/moajrnl/
    Access: Not Restricted
  • The Nation Digital Archive. (1865-1999)
    Founded in 1865, The Nation is America's oldest continuously published weekly magazine. Issues include illustrations by some of the most important political artists of the past century. The Nation Digital Archive currently includes PDF page images and searchable OCR text for all issues of The Nation published from 1865 through 1999. Issues dated 2000 through 2001 will be added in the near future.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles_title.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • The New York Times from Proquest's Historical Newspapers. (1851-2003)
    This database is a fully searchable, complete reproduction of the New York Times. All articles and issues are available in PDF format.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html [once in Proquest, scroll down to "ProQuest Historical Newspapers" and select New York Times.]
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Pennsylvania Gazette. (1728-1800) Provo, Utah: Folio Corp., 1991-.
    Format: CD-ROM
    Location: REF1 Desk F152 .A23

Indexes to Fiction

Indexes to Fiction and Literature in Periodicals

  • Black Literature Index. (1827-1940) Alexandria, Va.: Chadwyck-Healey Inc., 1994-.
    Indexes fiction and poetry by Black authors published in American periodicals from 1827-1940, plus reviews of literary works by Black authors. A full text of the works referred to in this database and a copy of the index are available on microfiche.
    Format: CD-ROM
    Location: REF1 Desk PS508.N3 B25 1994
    [Microfiche to the index is located on LL2 (MF 626)]
  • Index to Early American Periodical Literature, 1728-1870. New York, Pamphlet Distributing Co., 1941-.
    Issue #1 provides a list of periodicals indexed. Issues #2-5 provide citations to works by: Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and French Fiction.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 AI3 .I49 1941 nos. 1-5
  • The Literary Index to American Magazines, 1815-1865; 1850-1900. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1980; 1996.
    Arranged alphabetically by author, then by list of cited works, and all references to cited works. Some author entries also contain a list of book-length biographical / critical work, designated by the heading: "Work on...".
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z6513 .W44 (1815-1865); REF1 Z1225 .W38 1996 (1850-1900)

Indexes to Fiction in...

The following series of guides were produced by the Department of English at the University of Queensland. The concentration is on minor or lesser known writers of the period: 1860-1910. Each guide has a lengthy description of the journal covered, author index and a chronological index.

  • Indexes to Fiction in Cassell's Family Magazine, Later Cassell's Magazine, (1874-1910). St. Lucia, Australia: Department of English, University of Queensland, 1987.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4 T454 1987
    [Cassell's Family Magazine is available at Rutgers University Library]
  • Indexes to Fiction in Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Later Chambers's Journal, 3rd to 6th Series of Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, 1854-1910. St. Lucia, Australia: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1989.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4 T455 1989
    [Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature (1854-1897) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 599 EBP R583-594) and (1898-1956) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 599 EBP R594-595)]
  • Indexes to Fiction in Pall Mall Magazine (1893-1914). St. Lucia, Queensland: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1983.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4 T45 1983
    [Pall Mall Magazine is available in Print (1893-1904, 1905-1914) AP4 .N2 and (1893-1914) in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 599 EBP R733-745)]
  • Indexes to Fiction in the Harmsworth Magazine, Later the London Magazine (1898-1915). St. Lucia, Queensland: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1984.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4 T462 1984
    [The Harmsworth Magazine is available at Yale University Library]
  • Indexes to Fiction in The Idler (1892-1911). St. Lucia, Queensland: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1994.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4.T42 1994
    [The Idler (1892-1911) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 599 EBP R391-398)]
  • Indexes to Fiction in Time (1879-91), Murray's Magazine (1887-91), and the Quarto (1896-98). St. Lucia, Queensland: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1980.
    Format: Print
    Location: Stacks Z2014.F4 I53 1980
    [Time (1879-1891) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 584 ELP); Murray's Magazine (1887-1891) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 599 EBP R75-77), the Quarto is available at Princeton University Library]
  • Indexes to Fiction in Tinsley's Magazine, Later the Novel Review (1867-1892). St. Lucia, Queensland: Dept. of English, University of Queensland, 1981.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2014.F4 T46 1981
    [Tinsley's Magazine (1867-1892) is available in Microfilm on LL2 (Film 598 ELPS R787-795)]

Fiction Reviews and Criticism

  • American Literary and Drama Reviews: An Index to Late 19th Century Periodicals
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 PN2256 .M37 1984
  • Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals, 1886-1974. 15 v. Arlington, Va.: Carrollton Press, 1979-.
    Provides author and title access to more than 1 million book reviews appearing in 459 scholarly journals in the fields of History, Political Science and Sociology.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z1035.A1 C6x
  • Index to Book Reviews in England, 1749-1774. By Antonia Forster, Carbondale: Southern Illinois University, 1990.
    Reviews of English-language poetry, drama, and fiction in 16 British periodicals.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z1035.A1 F67 1990
  • Literary Reviews in British Periodicals, 1789-1797; 1798-1820 (2 v.); 1821-1826. New York: Garland Pub., 1977-79.
    Entries are arranged alphabetically by author reviewed. Appendices include non-review articles.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Z2013 .W36
  • Literature Criticism from 1400-1800. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1984-.
    Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1981-.
    Both sets provide largely excerpted works with citations. Material is culled from the works of novelists, poets, playwrights, philosophers, and other creative writers, from the first published critical appraisals to current evaluations.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 PN86 .L53 1984 (15th-18th century); REF1 PN761 .N5 (19th century)
  • New York Times Theater Reviews. (1870-present) New York: New York Times and Arno Press, 1975.
    Reproductions of Theater Reviews appearing in the New York times. Arranged chronologically with indexes.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 PN1581 .N38
  • The Romantics Reviewed; Contemporary Reviews of British Romantic Writers
    Contains facsimile reprints of contemporary reviews. Arranged by writer.
    Format: Print
    Location:PR590 .R43

Periodical Indexes for the Humanities

  • The British Empire in the Victorian Press, 1832-1867: A Bibliography
    Focuses on London Periodicals. Lists the magazine, and cites articles relating to the concept of Empire. With subject and author index.
    Format: Print
    Location: Z2021.C7 P32 1987
  • C.R.I.S.: The Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in History, 1838-1974. Edited by Annadel N. Wile, assistant editor, Deborah Purcell, Washington: Carrollton Press, 1977-.
    Format: Print
    Location: REF1 Index Z6205 .C18
  • Index to 19th Century American Art Periodicals
    The Index to Nineteenth-Century American Art Periodicals is the only online index to art periodicals that were published in the United States during the 19th century. The journals indexed represent a nearly complete coverage of art journals from this period. Since entire journal contents are indexed - articles, art notes, illustrations, stories, poems, and advertisements - the index is a valuable source of information on popular culture and industry, as well as artists and illustrators, painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, architecture and design, exhibitions and sales, decoration, and collecting. The database includes nearly 27,000 records.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • International Index to the Performing Arts (1864 - present)
    Covers a broad spectrum of the arts and entertainment industry-including dance, film, television, drama, theater, stagecraft, musical theater, broadcast arts, circus performance, comedy, storytelling, opera, pantomime, puppetry, magic etc.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Iter: A Bibliography of the Renaissance (1843 - present)
    The journals database includes approximately 135,000 records from secondary materials published in over 300 journals, from 1843 to the present. Publication dates will eventually span from 1700. The database covers the cultural aspects of the Renaissance in Christian Europe from 1300-1700. It will eventually include all aspects of the Renaissance and Middle Ages (400-1500). The Journals Database will gradually provide subject access to materials from entire runs of multilingual journals.
    Format: Website
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • Repertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM). Ann Arbor, Mich.: U.M.I., 1989.
    This set can be found in BobCat as a series; individual portions of the index are cataloged by separate titles. Provides access to 60 music periodicals from Western Europe and the United States in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century, with keyword and author index.
    Format: Print
    Location: MusicRef ML5
  • Performing Arts in Colonial American Newspapers (1690 - 1783). New York: University Music Editions, 1997.
    Contains references to music, poetry, dance, and theater found in American newspapers published from 1690 through 1783, including those in French and German. Offers full text citations, indexes of names, genres, subjects, titles, and first-lines of lyrics, a bibliography of issues, and a graphic file of woodcuts.
    Format: CD-ROM
    Location: REF1 Desk PN1581 .P47 1997

Periodical Indexes for the Social Sciences

  • Anthropological Literature (late 19th century to the present)
    Anthropological Literature is a bibliographic index to articles and essays on anthropology and archaeology, including art history, demography, economics, psychology, and religious studies. Updated quarterly, Anthropological Literature indexes articles two or more pages long in works published in English and other European languages from the 19th century to the present.
    Format: Electronic / Print
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Location: REF1 Z5112 .A43x (1979-1983)
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
  • C.R.I.S.: The Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in Political Science, 1886-1974. Editor, Annadel N. Wile, Washington: Carrollton Press, 1977-.
    Format: Print
    Location: Stacks Z7161.C6 1977
  • PsycINFO (1887-present)
    Covers the professional and academic literature in psychology and related disciplines. Worldwide coverage of over 1300 journals in over 20 languages, as well as books and chapters in books in the English language.
    Format: Electronic
    Location: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/find_articles.html
    Access: Restricted to NYU Community
Log In to OmniUpdate