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Newspapers Guide

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Newspaper indexes

The library has newspaper indexes to locate information in the newspapers. There are on-line indexes for information published from about 1990 onwards. For earlier material, there is a series of microfiche and card indexes.

On-line Indexes

Papers - an on-line index to the Press from 1 January 1995 and to the Star from 14 October 1998. The index focuses on news of the North Canterbury region from Cheviot to Ashburton and is up-dated daily. It is keyword searchable and includes thousands of names for local people, organisations and places.

Te Puna - INNZ - an index to New Zealand newspapers and periodicals compiled by the National Library of New Zealand. A number of newspapers are indexed, including the Press. Particularly useful for non-Canterbury material which is not indexed in the Papers database.

Microfiche Indexes

These cover the Lyttelton times, 1851-1861, 1881-1889, 1910-1911 and 1932-1935, and the Press for all the remaining years between 1861 and 1994. For the period 1851-1953 there are a series of 2-5 year indexes. For the period 1954-1994 there is a single Index.

Card Indexes

Indexes held in card form in Aotearoa New Zealand Centre:

• Star. Features only. 1976-1984
• Canterbury Times. Selective index. 1890-1904
• Canterbury Times. Illustrations only. 1900 Ja-Ag ; 1901-1917
• Illustrated Press. Illustrations only. 1868-1874
• Weekly Press. Illustrations only. 1900-1928 (in 2 sequences)

Using the microfiche indexes

The emphasis is on news of local interest. Entries are by subject. Subject headings are very broad and there are few personal name entries.

Start with a subject. If that subject has been given a heading, there will be a series of cards all containing references to newspaper items on that subject. Sometimes an alternative heading is needed. For instance, The Square has no entries, but under Cathedral Square there are plenty. These references are arranged in chronological order. This is an example of an index entry:

objection to "bible-thumping" in Cathedral Square (letter)
23.9.75. p16

A brief indication of the content of the item is given first. This is followed by an indication of the item type, if it is significant. In this case it is a letter to the editor. Also noted are such things as an editorial or a feature article or that it contains illustrations. Next comes the date of the paper, in this case the twenty-third of September, 1975 and lastly the page number.

Further hints for using the indexes:

• there is a separate sequence of indexes of obituaries
• at the beginning of each of the pre-1954 indexes is a list of the subject terms used in that index
• names commencing with the word Canterbury or Christchurch may be filed under the next word in the phrase, e.g. Christchurch City Council is filed under City Council.
• if the index does not include the subject of enquiry, for example international news, establish the date of the event from another source so you do not have to search through months of the newspaper
• ask the staff for guidance and information about index coverage, possible terms or the suitability of newspapers as a source for the information you are seeking; a more appropriate source may exist