Newspapers Online

Surprise surprise, but not all information online is available for free. This is especially true for newspapers.  For instance, back in March the New York Times moved to a system called Paywall where you need to pay if you want to read more than 20 articles.  You might also only be able to access back issues of newspapers for a short period of time (other wise you need to pay a subscription). One such newspaper is The Globe and Mail.  They provide free access to articles for 30 days, but back issues are for Globe Plus subscribers  $15.95 per month).  

The Stratford Public Library can help you with this.  We have subscribed to various databases that allow you to access back issues of newspapers.  Unfortunately these newspapers do not include the photos or the classifieds, but you do get the text of the articles.  It's not just the back issues of papers you get, in most cases you get access to today's paper too. 

You can print, email or save the articles to your computer, or even share them online.  If you are interested in reading on a certain topic, with some of these databases you can even create email alerts that come to you when a new article is published.  

Here are a few of these amazing sources. You can access the databases 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, where ever you have Internet access and all you need is your library card number (unless otherwise noted). 

Stratford Beacon Herald Online   
Use this database to search Stratford’s local paper in full text, with articles dating back to April of 2000.  To find obituaries, search for death notices in the headlines. 

Access: Use In Library   Ask staff for username and password

Canadian Newsstand - Toronto Star & Globe and Mail Edition
Full text of 41 newspapers published by Torstar Media Group, including the Kitchener-Waterloo Record (1990 - current), Listowel Banner (2003 - current), St. Marys Journal Argus (2005-current), Toronto Star (1985-current) updated daily. We also have access to the Globe and Mail - Full text back to 1977!

Access: Use in Library   Use Outside Library | Sign in with Library 

General OneFile
A gigantic collection of millions of magazine and journal articles. Great for research papers and projects. Includes articles from business, technology, current events, economics, education, law, literature, art, politics, science, social science, sports, and more. Includes New York Times in Full Text dating back to January 1985!

Access: Use in Library or Outside Library | Sign in with Library card

Infotrac Newsstand
A collection of more than a thousand newspapers, many full text from all around the world. Translate articles into 11 different languages and create email alerts. Includes The Stratford City Gazette in full text dating back to February 2008.

Access: Use in Library or Outside Library | Sign in with Library card

Ontario Historical Newspapers
Community and historical newspapers of Ontario: Acton Free Press, British Whig, Canadian Illustrated News, Essex Free Press, Georgetown Herald, Kingston Chronicle, Kingston Gazette, Marine Record, Provincial Freeman, Stouffville Sun-Tribune, Voice of the Fugitive.

Access: Use in Library or Outside Library

For more library databases, visit our website.

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SPL Shelf Life [adult]

This review appeared in the Stratford Gazette on April 28, 2011
Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian

Crazy, by William Peter Blatty

@SPL: FIC Blatt

A person might be forgiven for thinking that the author of a cult horror novel – namely The Exorcist – could not be the same person behind a novel that dwells on the amusements of growing up in 1941. But he is. William Peter Blatty gets the angst of adolescent Joey El Bueno perfectly right – the secret fantasies, paranoias, hopes and dreams of a kid growing up in New York, just before America joins World War II. From the internal dialogues that are like runaway trains, changing subject mid-stream (the way a pre-teen’s mind does), to the parental embarrassment, to spending precious spare change by taking in every movie multiple times (it’s no wonder Joey grows up to be a Hollywood screen writer). Joey’s life is dominated by a number of forces – his near poverty, the war he doesn’t see coming, the absence of his mother, and mostly the enigmatic Jane, a girl who floats (sometimes literally) in an out of his whole life, seemingly ageless (but eats like no ghost he’s ever heard of), teaching him life lessons and keeping him puzzled until the very end of his days.

The novel moves back and forth from senior citizen Joey to young Joey as he remembers and reminisces and tries to put the pieces together about Jane, so the reader is kept guessing how much of his memory is intact – given that Joey has always preferred science fiction, there may be an odd chance that he is making some of it up for the memoirs he has started to write. It all makes sense by the end, but readers, do yourself a favour and don’t skip ahead – the dialogue is smart-alecky and surprisingly descriptive, and very, very funny throughout, and you won’t want to miss any of it. 

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SPL Shelf Life [kids]

These reviews appeared in the Stratford Gazette on April 28, 2011 

Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian

Beyond Bedtime Stories: A Parent’s Guide to Promoting Reading, Writing, and Other Literacy Skills From Birth to 5, by V. Susan-Bennett-Armistead, Nell K. Duke and Annie M. Moses. 208 pages.

@ SPL:  J 028.55 Ben

Few moments shared between a child and an adult are as close and magical as those spent reading a favourite book together.

A story can easily be “extended” with young children in fun and stimulating ways, fostering their reading (and pre-reading), writing, drawing, imaginative, listening and speaking skills. Stories can be acted out, discussed, enacted with puppets (try simple stick or paper bag puppets, or stuffed toys), and pictures of the characters from a story can be drawn and labeled.

In fact, a “literacy throughout the day” approach can be easily carried out at mealtime, playtime and bedtime – in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc. Singing the ABC song (or another favourite song), reading and sounding out signs together, printing family names, and playing guessing games are just a few of the many simple yet practical suggestions provided in Beyond Bedtime Stories. Ways to build phonological awareness are also suggested in this very helpful resource, as well as a list of some children’s stories which emphasize specific phonological awareness skills.

In addition, the theories behind the suggestions to increase emerging literacy skills – and why they work – are provided.

The three authors of this helpful, authoritative book are child-development experts, and the foreword has been written by Norman Bridwell, creator and author of the popular Clifford the Big Red Dog series.

** Recommended for parents, grandparents and caregivers.

Seven Skills for School Success: Activities to Develop Social and Emotional Intelligence in Young Children, by Pam Schiller, 128 pages.

@ SPL:  372.21 Sch

Why are social intelligence and emotional intelligence interdependent, and why are they so important in establishing a foundation for lifelong learning skills?

Researchers have known for some time that social and emotional intelligence “connections” are developed in the brain during the first 48 months of life, but what has more recent neurological research revealed about the forming of these capacities? How can parents encourage their child’s abilities to relate and play with others, understand how others feel, and express feelings?

How are the seven skills of confidence, curiosity, intentionality, self-control, communication, relating to others and co-operation fundamental to becoming successful learners? How can parents nurture and encourage the development of these skills in their preschoolers?

Author Pam Schiller, Ph.D, an early childhood author, speaker, consultant and former professor, answers these questions and more in Seven Skills for School Success, and provides useful information, activities and experiences to develop these skills. Relevant stories, songs and action rhymes are also listed in this practical, easy-to-use resource.

** Recommended for parents, grandparents and caregivers.

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The Bowling Bookies

Yesterday, five brave library staff joined other City of Stratford employees in the Bowling for Big Brothers and Big Sisters fundraiser at Mike's Bowling Lanes.  We had a great time. We did not light up the lanes by any means, but we had a lot of fun. Out team raised over $500 for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, while the city in general raised over $6000! Well done everyone!


Here are a few shots... some more embarrassing than others... On a side note, seems taking photos in black light can be a tad tricky.

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