Historic Newspapers from the British Library
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The Blair Collection
The British Library offered the hard copy of post-1850 American newspapers to various libraries around the world. One library to take part in this global initiative is the Richard Bland College Library in Petersburg, Virginia. More information on the British Library's Disposal of Overseas Newspapers program is available online.
RBC students review historical newspapers from the Blair Collection.
Left to right: Michael Jenkins, Nichole Olmeda, Erin Cammer, Desiree Landry and Erin Morgan
Receipt of these newspapers from the British Library was spearheaded and arranged by Dr. John Blair, Professor of History at Richard Bland College of The College of William and Mary. Dr. Blair and his involvement in this important program are referred to in Nicholson Baker's 1991 book entitled Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper; please note that this link will you bring you to an excerpt of Mr. Baker's book at the New York Times web site where online registration may be required.
The following chart represents the newspapers obtained by Dr. John Blair. Please keep in mind that the dates listed below provide general holdings information and do not reflect potentially missing issues.
| Newspaper Title |
Place of Publication |
Dates |
| Aurora of the Valley |
Newbury, Vermont |
1854 - 1868 |
| The Boston Chronicle |
Boston, Massachusetts |
1767 - 1768 |
| The Boston Post |
Boston, Massachusetts |
1888 - 1896;
1919 |
| The British-American |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
1887 - 1890;
1893 - 1901;
1904 -1918 |
| The British Californian |
San Francisco, California |
July 1903
June 1911
1913 - 1921
incomplete run |
| The Connecticut Courant |
Hartford, Connecticut |
1795 |
| The Daily Dispatch |
Richmond, Virginia |
1861 - 1864 |
| Daily Evening Bulletin |
San Francisco, California |
1855 - 1871 |
| The Daily Patriot |
Madison, Wisconsin |
1854 - 1871 |
| Dunlop & Claypole's American Daily Advertiser |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
1794 - 1795 |
| The Evening Post |
New York, New York |
1859 - 1861;
1864 - 1875 |
| The Farmer's Herald (later the Berkshire Herald) |
Stockbridge, Massachussetts |
1813 - 1815 |
| The Federal Gazette |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
1797 - 1798 |
| The Federal Spy |
Springfield, Massachussetts |
1813 - 1815 |
| Gleason's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion |
Boston, Massachusetts |
1851 - 1859 |
| The Massachussetts Centinel |
Boston, Massachusetts |
1784-1785 |
| New-York Daily Tribune |
New York, New York |
1851 - 1864
incomplete run |
| The New York Herald |
New York, New York |
1866 - 1899
incomplete run |
| The Pacific Commercial Advertiser |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
1856-1868 |
| The Salem Gazette |
Salem, Massachussetts |
1782-1783 |
This collection of newspapers is stored at Richard Bland College in the Humanities and Social Sciences building. The collection has been inventoried, shelved, and cataloged by Richard Bland College library staff under the supervision of Dr. Virginia Cherry, Library Director.
Organizing the Blair Collection
Circulation Desk Specialist Amy Shay helps with the initial inventory.
Dr. Virginia Cherry reviews the collection.
Custodial Supervisor Cliff Walker stops by for a visit
and helps demonstrate the size of the newspapers.
Dr. Virginia Cherry hard at work.
Student worker Rachelle Feitig also helps.
Library staff fill the shelves...
...and still have more newspapers to arrange on shelves.
Dr. Virginia Cherry takes a well-deserved break!
library@rbc.edu | Last Update:
October 24, 2011
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