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Alternative and Underground Press Publications: Finding Articles

Examine the social and cultural history of the 1960s, 1970s, and subsequent decades.

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Databases & Periodicals

Indexes

  • Alternative press index
  • 1969-2005 (incomplete), located at the Northwest Ohio Regional Book Depository
  • An index to alternative and radical publications. Articles are listed by subject. Excellent resource.

Periodicals

  • Utne Reader
    • Pop Culture Periodicals - 1986 to present
    • Subtitled “The best of the alternative press,” this bimonthly publication reprints columns from other current publications, as well as articles written for Utne Reader. Contains coverage of contemporary concerns such as the environment, sexuality, the post-Cold War world, homelessness, quality public education, and the media, among others.
  • Mother Jones
    • Microfiche version, Electronic version
    • 1976 to present
    • Includes fiction and news coverage of contemporary issues, such as public education, the South American rainforests, toxic waste; and contains interviews with personalities such as Nelson Mandela and Abbie Hoffman. Recently awarded for investigative reporting, this bimonthly publication is indexed by the Alternative Press Index and other indexes/databases (see electronic version above).

Microfilm

  • Underground newspaper microfilm collection
    • film PN4784.U53U49
    • Microfilm collection of underground newspapers not only from the United States, but also from countries such as Japan, France, and Germany, among others. The collection includes nearly 600 titles, many of which are also represented in the Browne Popular Culture Library's collection. The microfilmed newspapers are not indexed in this libguide, but can be accessed through the Underground Press Collection 1963-1985 Listing of Contents. It indexes the 147 reels of microfilm in the collection. The POP CULT REF index covers the years 1963-1985, indexing all undergrounds that have been microfilmed by Bell and Howell.
  • Herstory: Women's History Collection, Microfilm Collection
    • film HQ1154.H47, reel 1-23, 1956-1971
    • A collection of 251 titles of international newspapers, journals, and newsletters by and about women's liberation, civic, professional, religious, and peace groups. Most of the titles in the collection date between 1968 and 1974. A number of the titles in the Browne Popular Culture Library's alternative and underground press holdings and in the Ringle Collection are also represented in this microfilm collection. Duplicate titles include It Ain't Me Babe, Memo, Women's Strike for Peace, Off Our Backs, and Second Coming.
    • For more information on this microfilm collection and how to use it
      • Content Description:  Newsletters, journals and newspapers published by and about women's groups. Includes publications about women's liberation, professional women's organizations, women's movement and women's issues. Some titles are from the mid-1950's, but most were published between 1968 and 1974. Publications come from many countries.
        Language(s):  English, French, Spanish
        Arrangement:  Organized by publication type: newspapers, journals, and newsletters. Within each type the collection is arranged alphabetically by title and then by issue date.
        Index/Bibliography:
        1) Herstory (REF HQ 1154 .H47x). This guide lists the titles in the collection and the issues available for each title.
        2) At the beginning of each reel there is a list of the publications on the reel.
        Time Period:  20th century