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Resource Sharing
Newspapers on Microfilm

When requesting newspapers on microfilm please include the city and state in which the newspaper is published. Some newspaper titles are very common, and occur in many different states.

In addition, over time, the publication name may change. Please verify that the newspaper title is valid for the date requested. Patrons may not be aware of the title change and request the newspaper by its current name. For example, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has previously been published as the Milwaukee Journal.

If the exact newspaper title cannot be found, create a request using the Blank Request Form. Please do not make a request using an incorrect bibliographic record or try to guess at the newspaper title. Enter as much information as you know, using the following examples:

"Any newspaper for Phoenix, Arizona for March and April 1932" or "patron wants microfilm or a copy of the obituary for Fred Flintstone who died in Bedrock (or whose obituary appeared in the city's newspaper) on March 27, 1953."

We observe the limit of six reels of microfilm per request, as long as the title is the same during the time period needed. These are the limits placed on Wisconsin newspaper titles obtained from the Wisconsin Historical Society through WiLS.

Be aware that other libraries have their own limits; some limit the number of reels of microfilm they will check out to a single patron. RL&LL staff try to track the number of reels out to individual patrons from those libraries, but we may require assistance from your library in monitoring such requests for your patrons.

Depending on the title, one reel may cover several months, or it may cover multiple years. If you request six reels, but do not receive all six, check the History Information field on the request to determine the reason. Check with your patron to see if they still want the remaining reels before creating a new request. Request the reels only if the original request indicates they will be available at a later time (in use, not on shelf). If you are not sure how many reels there will be, request a broader date range, rather than smaller.

If the request is for a title owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, borrowing libraries are encouraged to check MadCat (the UW-Madison online catalog) to verify that the reel numbers correspond to the dates of the request. This is not mandatory, but your assistance in this matter can reduce the time required to fill a request. If you create the request in WISCAT, type the reel numbers in the Special Instructions field. You must still include the dates that the microfilm should cover.

Note: MadCat displays the reel numbers, which begin with a "P" or an "N", with the dates covered on each reel. It also lists which reels are checked out near the bottom of the bibliographic record. Reel numbers beginning with "N" are negatives and you will have to wait at least a few weeks while a positive film is made to lend.

WiLS can supply up to six reels of microfilm for the same newspaper for the same patron in response to a single request. In order to manage the fees charged through the WiLS contract, your default library (public library system clearinghouse or the RL&LL Clearinghouse) must review ILL requests for newspapers and combine microfilm requests for the same paper/same patron when possible.

If up to six requests have been created for the same newspaper title by the same patron/same library, the requests should be combined. The ‘six reel’ rule will be used to consolidate requests to WiLS to maximize the contract funding. Requests that were not referred to WiLS will be returned to the borrowing library. The default library will remove any remaining lenders in the Lender List and then update the request to Status: Will Not Supply, Reason: Other, History Information note: "This was requested with [requester's number of the request referred]".

A photocopy request must include a copyright compliance code. If the code is not included, the request will be returned to the requesting library.

If your patron can accept the item as a PDF or link to an electronic source, please be sure to include the patron’s email address in your request.

Libraries with questions about newspaper microfilm requests should contact their library system’s ILL clearinghouse staff or the RL&LL staff.