Birmingham Public Library Introduces Chronicling America

Historic newspapers have always been a staple of genealogical research. They provide such gems as obituaries, legal notices, advertisements, and tantalizing glimpses of life in another time and place. However, locating them and gaining access to them can be challenging. While genealogists have always relied on microfilm, digitized newspapers are becoming more widely available. Thanks to the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities, researchers have access to two valuable tools in their quest for historic newspapers. Chronicling America is available free of charge and consists of over 3,000 digitized newspapers and a comprehensive list of papers published in America from 1690 to present.