Search the Libraries' catalog to see if we have the periodical you're looking for. The catalog should tell you if we have a newspaper or magazine in print, online, or in microfilm.
From the Libraries' homepage, click on "Catalog" under the main search box.
Enter your magazine or newspaper's title in the catalog search box (1), select "journal title" from the drop-down menu (2), and click "Find" (3).
On the results page, you'll see any periodicals that match your search terms. Magazines and newspapers may have changed titles throughout the period they were published; we've tried to connect all the variant titles so they will all show up in the results, but you may need to double-check the title of the periodical for the dates you're looking for. Click on the title of periodical to view a more detailed record.
From the periodical's record, you'll be able to see our holdings information, which will tell you what dates we have and where you can find the periodical. This periodical is on microfilm in the Microfilm Periodicals Collection, which can be found in the cabinets marked with a B on the map. This title doesn't have a call number. It will be arranged in the Microfilm Periodicals cabinet alphabetically by title (except the note on this record says The Thespian Magazine is filmed with and filed under Prompter, so we'll need to look for that title).
Here's another example of a catalog record for a periodical we have in microfilm. This periodical, however, is part of a microfilm collection, English Literary Periodicals. This microfilm will be in a different location--it is marked as point A on the map. To find this microfilm, you will need the call number, PR 1. E54. Once you get to that call number in the microfilm collection, you'll see several boxes where reels of microfilm are collected together.
Once you know whether you're going to the Microfilm Collection or the Microfilm Periodicals Collection, you'll want to make your way to the 1st floor of the RBD Library.
Walk through the Innovation & Research Commons. You'll turn left to head toward the Microfilm Periodicals cabinets (marked as point B on the map) to find Thespian Magazine (from above).
Once you turn left, you should see cabinets of microfilm in front of you. These are our microfilm newspaper, microfilm periodicals, and microfilm government documents collections.
The cabinets for Microfilm Periodicals will have a pink sign on them.
There will be a tag on each drawer that tells you what publications are inside it.
The drawers are organized alphabetically by periodical title.
If your periodical has a call number, it will be in the Microfilm Collection, which is marked with an A on the map. You'll need to go to these stacks on the 1st floor and look for your call number on the boxes there. We're in the process of updating our signage, so you might find that some of the labels on our shelves doesn't match up with the call numbers located there. The call numbers will be in alphabetical order, though, so you should still be able to find the box(es) you need, though you might have to go up and down the rows.
The Microfilm Collection stacks will look like this. The boxes are arranged in call number order.
Once you find the box(es) with your call number, you may need to check which reels are included in the box to make sure you'll find the year(s) you're looking for.
When you open the box, you should see several reels of microfilm. Each box should indicate which reel is inside and may also indicate which years are covered on that reel.
The microfilm readers on the 1st floor (marked with a C on the map). You'll be able to scan images of the microfilm to PDF, which you can save and email to yourself or save to a flash drive.
Special thanks to Barbara Bishop for taking photos of our microfilm collections.
