When we think of 1849 (which we collectively do on a near daily basis), we think of the Gold Rush.  Well, that mass migration of people into California wasn’t the only event to mark that glorious year.  In 1849, James Goodhue began publishing the Minnesota Pioneer right here in St. Paul.  It grew up to become the St Paul Pioneer Press.

Yes, our  little local paper had humble beginnings.  However, it’s hit the big time now.  The Pioneer Press is now included in Proquest Newsstand.  Finally, the newspaper database with over 300 newspapers includes the Pioneer Press.  Of course, it only goes back to April 21, 2010. Now, I can feel the history buff among us panicking.  “2010!  I need the Pioneer Press back further than that!”  Well, we got you covered too.  We’ve got the Pioneer Press going back to 1988 through Newsbank.  So if you’re looking for old St. Paul news, like from 1988, then Newsbank is where you should look.    Ahhhh, 1988, that awesome year when Rain Man won best picture [never saw it] and Don’t Worry, Be Happy won song of the year.  REALLY?!?!?  Oh man, now that is just sad.

Now I realize there are those few people out there who will say to me, “Carolyn, gag me with a spoon!  1988 is so bogus!  I need newspaper articles older than 1988.”  To them I say,  “Quit spazzing out!”  We got tons of historic newspapers:

• New York Times 1851-2006
• Washington Post 1877-1993
• Minneapolis Tribune 1867-1922
• Irish Times 1859-2009
• The Guardian and The Observer 1821-2003 and 1791-2003

Or you could search all historic newspapers at once.

So take a chill pill.  It’s under control.

If you’re really into historic newspapers, Ann created a helpful guide on Primary Sources, which includes newspapers.  There’s also a guide on Minnesota History in case I’ve piqued your interest in that.

I’m sorry, I simply can’t get over the fact that Don’t Worry, Be Happy won song of the year.  You do realize that GN’R’s Sweet Child o Mine came out in 1988, don’t you? I’m just saying, some guy whistling and boo booping or Slash on the electric guitar?  I know what I prefer.

4:15 Project Muse was restored to working order.  Now you can search the over 400 e-journals and get something instead of a blank screen.  Knock yourselves out!

Project Muse, a resource that contains over 400 e-journals, is currently unavailable.  No word on how long it will take to come back up but I was told the Project Muse tech team is aware of and working on the problem.  If you have any questions, ask a librarian for help.

My faithful reader (you know who you are) may remember last month when I tied in the Science Museum’s Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit to UST library resources.  Well, I’m leaning on the cultural resources of our community again to highlight even more resources.  The Guthrie Theater’s production of The Scottsboro Boys is an excellent and must-see-soon (it’s ending Sept. 25) show about the case, spanning most of the 1930’s , when 9 African-American men were unjustly accused of a horrible crime.

The African American Studies Center covers the incident in great detail.  You can read transcripts of the Supreme Court cases (Norris vs. Alabama and Powell vs. Alabama)  in the U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs (compliments of the Law Library).  Using our new search engine Summon, you can search on Scottsboro boys and limit to resources before 12/31/37, to get articles written about the case while it happening.  You get several perspectives on the case, the incident, and the play by using Blackwell Reference Online.  And if you’re not much of a reader (again, you know who you are), why not watch the 90 minute documentary Scottsboro: An American Tragedy from Films on Demand?