Customers wishing to obtain newspaper articles from any of the major Detroit newspapers have three options:

• Come to the Main Library and conduct the search yourself with some guidance from library staff. There is no charge other than for printing at 25 cents per page.
• Complete the Newspaper Search Request form and have the search conducted by library staff for a fee. Search results will be mailed to you.
• Ask your local library to interloan microfilm reels for the relevant dates from the Popular Library Department’s extensive microfilm archives for the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press and Detroit Times. Starting from 1874 to the present, up to three reels at a time can be mailed to your local public library and you can conduct your search at your local library. Fees covering possible mailing costs may be required by the borrowing library. Have your local library contact the Detroit Public Library's Circulation Department, at (313) 481-1376 for further information about using the Interlibrary Loan service.

Newspaper Search Fees for Staff Conducted Searches

• The Detroit Public Library charges the following fees for staff conducted newspaper article searches:
• $15.00 per hour charged for each newspaper article request submitted with an exact article date.
• $25.00 per hour for each newspaper article request submitted without an exact article date, with a minimum prepayment of $25.00 (1 hour) per search.
• Fees include postage, photocopying and handling.
• All newspaper search fees must be prepaid.
• Payment in U.S. funds only.
• Make your check or money order payable to Detroit Library Commission.
• Credit card orders must include security code to be processed.

The Library cannot guarantee that a newspaper article will be located. The Library staff will search for articles in the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and Detroit Times for three days following a given date.

• Newspaper Search Request form

Contact Information

Phone:  (313) 481-1369 or (313) 481-1370
E-mail: pl@detroitpubliclibrary.org