Two local library systems (St. Louis Public Library and St. Louis County Library) have access to Newspapers.com. For either system, you can live anywhere in the St. Louis metro area in Missouri and get a library card for free.
The Newspapers.com database offers more than 10,000 digitized newspaper titles for large and small communities in the U.S. as well as newspapers in Canada, Australia, Ireland, the British Isles and Panama, from the early 1700s into the early 2000s. Includes the St. Louis Globe Democrat. Date ranges vary by publication.
SLCL (get a card). Newspapers.com
SLPL (get a card). Newspapers.com
The Vogue Archive is a complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images. Every page, advertisement, cover and fold-out has been included.
Tip: Use Advanced Search to find images by garment type, designer or brand names and photographer or illustrator.
1. HOW CAN I GET STARTED WHEN MY OBJECT IS GENERIC AND/OR THE SEARCH TERMS I WOULD NEED TO USE ARE VERY BROAD?
Your object: Collectible stuffed bear toys (Beanie Babies by Ty Inc.)
To search for a history of your object or object type, you can start with specific terms (beanie babies). If there are no results, expand to a broader term (stuffed bears; stuffed animals; toys)
YOUR TOPIC encyclopedias: beanie babies encyclopedias
YOUR TOPIC history: beanie babies history
Search COMPANY/BUSINESS
Tools: catalogs (books, incl. encyclopedias); encyclopedia + company directory databases
2. HOW CAN I FIND PRIMARY SOURCES THAT RELATE TO MY OBJECT'S MARKING/RECEPTION, OR PUBLIC PERCEPTION?
Technique: Search historical newspaper/magazines or Worldcat.
beanie babies in NYT, limit to a specific date range (1993-2002):
Tools: newspaper + article databases; catalogs
Technique: Search for advertisements or other image sources using the search tools on the Research Guide under Finding Sources > Object Sources
beanie babies in a magazine archive, such as Harpers
Tools: magazine archives
Technique: Search for industry-specific materials, like sale catalogues
Tools: Worldcat (catalog)
3. HOW CAN I FIND OBJECTS THAT DEAL WITH MY OBJECT TYPE (FOR EXAMPLE, "FAMILY HEIRLOOMS")?
4. HOW MUCH OF MY CB SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO DESCRIPTION + ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECT? HOW MUCH TO DISCUSSING ITS HISTORY? HOW MUCH OF MY OWN INTERPRETATION OF THE 'CULTURAL' MEANINGS?