Looking to travel back in time but lost the keys to your TARDIS? Did the DeLorean break down again? Well, have no fear, because EPL's got you covered! Travel to the past through the "old-fashioned" way, with newspapers and magazines.
At EPL, we have four searchable, fully digitized historic newspaper and magazine collections. The best part is that you can access them all for free with your library card!
- ProQuest: Historical Newspapers Edmonton Journal (1903-2010)
- ProQuest: Historical Newspapers Calgary Herald (1883-2010)
- Globe & Mail: Canada's Historical Newspaper (1844-2017)
- Maclean’s Magazine Archive (1933-2015)
These resources are available to Edmontonians online and at our EPL branches for visitors! So, whether you are writing the next great Edmontonian novel or looking back on family history, these resources are just what you need. Grab your library card and time-warp through Edmonton events and personalities. Who knows, you might find the answers to questions you've always had. Questions like:
- What was the asking price of a five room bungalow in Glenora in the 1950s?
- What were grocery store prices like in the 1980s?
- How did someone in the 1970s explain why Edmonton had so many pyramid-like structures?
- Did Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound once get into a dust-up with an Edmonton coach?
- What did speculation about the adoption of eBooks look like in 1967?
- What was a particularly zesty vinaigrette recipe from 1932?
- How did an ex-hardware store employee become Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe designer?
- What were THE hot trends predicted for politics, tech and culture in 1999?
Tips to get you started
- Have your EPL library card and PIN ready!
- If you live outside of Edmonton, you may need to check in with your local library for options.
- Be ready to prove you are not a robot! These resources may show a reCAPTCHA prompt to discourage unauthorized bot training.
- Looking at the historical Globe & Mail? We recommend using Google Chrome or Safari for this resource.
- Keyword searching can help find dates where a term appears. Advanced Search lets you set a specific publication “on date” target or date range. This may help browse through a day’s edition or a limited time period.
- Search through several newspapers at the same time using the Change Database feature in ProQuest.
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads...
Great Scott! We hope that you have a fun journey back in time. If you happen to make a fun discovery about Edmonton's history, be sure to share it on social media and tag EPL! Leave a comment below or contact us if you need any help with your EPL card or these resources.
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