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Primary Sources & Archives

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Ancestry Library (*In-Library Access Only) Library Card Required.

Search genealogy records and discover more about your family history. Ancestry includes records from the U.S. Census, military records, court, land and probate records, vital and church records, directories, passenger lists, and more. Watch the tutorial video, opens a new window.  *Ancestry can only be used inside the library. When visiting the library, you can access Ancestry from a personal laptop computer that is connected to our WiFi network, or by using one of our library computers including library laptops from the laptop kiosk. 

Available for in-library use only

Architectural Digest Magazine Archive (1922-2011) Library Card Required.

If you would like to access Architectural Digest Magazine from 2011 to Present, please check our catalog! Covers the history of design, offers inspirational ideas and provides a look at culture, art, unique homes and international design concepts from 1922-2011.  Features include the AD100, the Architectural Digest list of top 100 architects and interior designers worldwide, as well as celebrity style, landscaping, renovation, technology and travel.

Atlantic Magazine (1857- 2014), The Library Card Required.

If you would like to access issues of The Atlantic Magazine from 2014 to Present, you can find them on Flipster!  The Atlantic was originally created with a focus on publishing leading writers' commentary on abolition, education and other major issues in contemporary political affairs at the time. Over its more than 150 years of publication, it has featured articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, science and more. Some of the founding sponsors of the magazine include prominent writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe and John Greenleaf Whittier.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek (1929-2000 & Current) Library Card Required.

If you would like to read Current issues of Bloomberg BusinessWeek from 2000 to Current, you can find a variety of resource on our catalog! Businessweek was originally published to be a resource for business managers. Early sections of the magazine included marketing, labor, finance, management and “Washington Outlook”, which made Businessweek one of the first publications to cover national political issues that directly impacted the business world. In the 1950s it published its first Executive Pay survey, which remains a popular feature. In the 1970s, the magazine shifted its strategy and added the general consumer interested in stocks, bonds, and other investments. As of 1975, the magazine was carrying more advertising pages annually than any other magazine in the United States. Businessweek began publishing its annual rankings of United States business school MBA programs in 1988. Research Areas:
  • Business management
  • Marketing
  • Labor
  • Finance
  • Economic policy

Digital ReeL – Newspaper Microfilm Collection

Digital ReeL provides online access to SCCLD’s microfilm collection of historical local newspapers, digitized for enhanced access and searching capabilities. Up to ten patrons can access this service concurrently. If you are unable to access this service, please check back at a later time. Access from Home: From outside the library you can access Santa Clara County historical newspapers from 1895-1923. The archive includes local newspapers from Campbell, Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Saratoga.    Access from the Library: From within the library you can access our entire collection of Santa Clara County historical newspapers from 1895-2018.  The archive includes local newspapers from Campbell, Cupertino, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, and Saratoga.  
Available for in-library use only

Ebony Magazine Archive (1945-2014) Library Card Required.

The magazine archives of Ebony covers civil rights, education, entrepreneurship and other social topics with an African-American focus. One notable feature is the annual selection of the “100 most Influential Blacks in America,” featuring entertainment figures, politicians, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. During the 1960s, the magazine increasingly covered the Civil Rights Movement. Articles published in the magazine were about political events happening all over the U.S., in which activists protested racial violence and advocated for increasing social mobility for African–Americans across the diaspora. Also published in the magazine was content about the Black Power Movement. Ebony also commemorated historical events that contributed to black citizenship and freedom such as the September 1963 issue that honored the 100 year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Research Areas:
  • African-American culture
  • Business
  • Civil rights
  • Entertainment
  • Ethnic studies
  • Fashion
  • History
  • ​Politics

Fold3 Library Edition Library Card Required.

Provides access to a growing collection of U.S. military records from the Revolutionary War to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Contains millions of archived records, many of which are exclusively available on Fold3. Fold3 is perfect for researching the military, history, and genealogy.

Forbes Magazine (1917-2000) Library Card Required.

If you would like to read issues of Forbes from 2014 to Current, you can use Flipster!  Published bi-weekly, Forbes has been featuring original articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. Forbes also reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, politics, and law. Forbes was started by Bertie Charles Forbes in 1917 with the idea of devoting it to “doers and doings.”  Today the magazine is well known for its lists and rankings, including of the richest Americans (the Forbes 400), of the America's Wealthiest Celebrities, of the world's top companies (the Forbes Global 2000), 30 Under 30, World's 100 Most Powerful Women, and The World's Billionaires. Research Areas:
  • Wall Street
  • Healthcare
  • Logistics and transportation
  • Energy
  • Retail
  • Money and investments

Fortune Magazine (1930-2000) Library Card Required.

If you would like to read issues of Fortune Magazine from 2014 to Current, you can use Flipster! The publication was founded by Henry R. Luce in 1929 just a few months after the dramatic stock market crash. Luce is also known for launching other famous magazine titles including TIME, Life, and Sports Illustrated. At a time when most business publications were little more than numbers and statistics printed in black and white, Fortune was an oversized 11"×14" publication, using creamy heavy paper, and colorful cover art. Fortune's advertisements were vivid and lush, and the magazine was also noted for its photography, featuring the work of Margaret Bourke-White, Ansel Adams, and others. Luce also recruited young literary talent including Archibald MacLeish, John Kenneth Galbraith, and Alfred Kazin to fill its pages with human interest stories that were at times bold and critical. Among the critical they wrote were an exposé about the munitions industry, as well as critical pieces about Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt. Today the magazine is known for its ranked lists, including the Fortune 500, a ranking of companies by revenue that it has published annually since 1955. The magazine is also known for its annual Fortune Investor's Guide. Research Areas:
  • American business
  • International business
  • Economics
  • Industry
  • Technology

Life Magazine Archive (1936-2000) Library Card Required.

Features storytelling through documentary photographs and informative captions. Each issue visually and powerfully depicted national and international events and topical stories, providing intimate views of real people and their real life situations. Articles and cover pages are fully indexed and advertisements are individually identified, ensuring researchers and readers can quickly and accurately locate the information they seek. Life Magazine Archive is valuable to researchers of 20th Century current events, politics and culture, as well as those interested in the history of business, advertising, and popular culture.

Maclean’s Magazine (1905-2015 & Current) Library Card Required.

If you would like to read issues of Maclean's from 2015 to Current,  you can find it on Flipster! Maclean’s is a leading Canadian news and general interest magazine. Providing a unique perspective on national and international news and culture, the magazine covers investigative reporting, opinion and analysis on politics, economics, technology and more. During World War I, the magazine published first-hand accounts of life on the western front while remaining critical of Canada’s war efforts. The magazine also provided literary pieces and artistic expressions and ran fiction by Robert W. Service, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and O. Henry. It provided commentary by Stephen Leacock and illustrations by C. W. Jefferys, F. S. Coburn, and several Group of Seven members, including A. J. Casson, Arthur Lismer, and J. E. H. MacDonald. During and shortly after World War II, the magazine featured war photography by Yousuf Karsh, and articles by war correspondents John Clare and Lionel Shapiro. During the 1950s the magazine was noted for its articles on the Canadian landscape and profiles of town and city life. The feature article, The Mysterious North, by Pierre Berton, promoted a new national interest in the Arctic. In addition the magazine provided exposés that challenged the criminal justice system, explored LSD, and artificial insemination. In the 1970s the magazine became well known for Allan Fotheringham’s column that was printed on the back page of the magazine. Legend has it that most readers would go to read the back page first, and then proceed to read the magazine from back to front.

Mercury News Online, The (2006-Current) Library Card Required.

Get full access to today's articles from your local newspaper through the online version of The Mercury News. Headlines are updated throughout the day and readers may enjoy local, national, and world news. Read the latest articles about business, technology, sports, etc. or review editorials, obituaries, and much more. Full-text articles including articles from the Associated Press may be available as far back as 2006. If you are interested in articles from before 2006, we offer an additional, separate online service through a different provider, Newsbank. Use your library card number and PIN to enjoy unlimited access to articles from The Mercury News (1985-Recent).
Please Note: The Mercury News requires users to be 18 or older. The Mercury News asks users under the age of 18 to obtain parental or legal guardian consent to The Mercury News Terms of Use and The Mercury News Privacy Policy. By following the link above to access The Mercury News, you certify that you are 18 or older, and that if you are under the age of 18 years, that you have obtained the consent of your parent or legal guardian to the The Mercury News Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. When accessing The Mercury News link, you will be leaving the Santa Clara County Library District website and directed to The Mercury News site. This service is provided at no charge to Santa Clara County Library District patrons. Please be aware that policies that apply to the Library and its website may not be the same as the Terms of Use for other websites. By proceeding, you agree to accept and assume all risks and responsibilities for the losses and damages that may arise from your use of The Mercury News website and release the Santa Clara County Library District from all liability.
Available for in-library use only

Nation Magazine Archive, The (1865-Present) Library Card Required.

Research Areas:
  • Activism
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Society
With The Nation researchers can access 14 decades of historic articles, editorials, letters, reviews, poems, and puzzles dating back to the magazine's first issue from July 6, 1865.  The Nation is an important clearinghouse of primary source material in American and world history, offering a 150-year archive of reporting opinion and criticism.  In the first year of publication, one of the magazine's regular features was The South As It Is, dispatches from a tour of the war-torn region by John Richard Dennett, a recent Harvard graduate and a veteran of the Port Royal Experiment. Dennett interviewed Confederate veterans, freed slaves, agents of the Freedmen's Bureau, and ordinary people he met by the side of the road. From 1880 to 1930 the magazine became a literary supplement to the daily newspaper New York Evening Post as it was acquired by the Henry Villard, a newspaperman turned railroad baron. During the 1930s the magazine praised the accomplishments of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal  and wrote in support of the nationalization of many industries.   The Nation supported the war effort during WWII and because of its far left ideology it was banned by several school libraries during the height of the McCarthy era. Today the magazine remains a left leaning magazine and it celebrated its 150 year anniversary in 2015 with a documentary and a 268-page special issue​.

New York Times, The (Current Issues) Library Card Required.

The New York Times Online is available in three editions: English, Spanish and Chinese. Click on ESPAÑOL or 中文 on top of the New York Times website to access the Spanish or Chinese edition. Headlines are updated throughout the day. Lending Information. FAQ.

Accessing The New York Times

  • Redemption Code limit: 24 hours access. After 24 hours you can return to this page and redeem another access code.
  • To use the app:
    • First redeem your code through the library website.
    • Then follow the prompts to log in or sign up in the browser.
    • Once you've signed in on the browser, you can switch to the app and sign in with the same New York Times account.
  • The New York Times recommends using the newest version of the Chrome browser for the best loading and browsing experience. More information on this topic can be found in the New York Times Help Center, opens a new window.

For articles from 1851 to three years previous to the current year, visit the New York Times Historical Archive.

Please Note: The New York Times (NYT) requires users to be 13 or older.  The NYT also asks users age 13-17 to obtain parental or legal guardian consent to the NYT Terms of Service and NYT Privacy Policy.  By following the link below to access the NYT, you certify that you are 13 or older, and that if you are 13-17 years old, that you have obtained the consent of your parent or legal guardian to the NYT terms of service and privacy policy.

When accessing the New York Times link, you will be leaving the Santa Clara County Library District website and directed to the New York Times site. This service is provided at no charge to Santa Clara County Library District patrons. Please be aware that policies that apply to the Library and its website may not be the same as the terms of use for other websites. By proceeding you agree to accept and assume all risks and responsibilities for the losses and damages that may arise from your use of the New York Times website and release the Santa Clara County Library District from all liability.


Download New York Times, The (Current Issues) on the App StoreGet New York Times, The (Current Issues) on Google PlayNew York Times, The (Current Issues) available at Amazon App Store

New York Times, The (Historic Issues) Library Card Required.

From leading issues and events, like the U.S. Civil War, westward expansion, industrial developments, race relations, and World War I and II; to international, local and regional politics, society, arts, culture, business, and sports the New York Times: Historic Issues provides easily-searchable firsthand accounts and coverage from 1851 through three years previous to the current year. Every issue includes the complete paper, cover-to-cover, with full-page and article images in easily downloadable PDF format.  Available in ProQuest Historical Newspapers. To browse individual issues, click on "Publications." You will see three different editions of the New York Times available: The New York Daily Times (1851-1857), The New York Times (1857-1922), The New York Times (1923-three years previous to the current year).

Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) Library Card Required.

This online resource covers today's hot button social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. You will find pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, primary sources, interactive maps, infographics, and more.  The full-text articles that are available cover current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more, which make it great for speech and debate classes or for research assignments.

Science Journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (1880-1996) Library Card Required.

Known as Science Classics, this database provides access to the digital archives of the journal Science from its first issue in 1880 through 1996, delivering over a century of high-impact scientific literature from the world's largest general science journal. The Science family of publications has grown to include online journals Science Translational Medicine, Science Signaling, Science Immunology, Science Robotics and the open access journal Science Advances.

TIME Magazine (1923-2000) Library Card Required.

Capturing the relevant news for a given week, TIME Magazine remains an important resource for researchers studying just about any aspect of 20th Century history and life including national and international current events, politics, sports and entertainment. Articles and cover pages are fully indexed and advertisements are individually identified, ensuring researchers and readers can quickly and accurately find the information they seek. If you would like to read  the current issues of Time Magazine, you can access these issues on Flipster. 

U.S. News & World Report Magazine (1926-1984 & Current) Library Card Required.

If you would like to read issues of U.S. News & World Report Magazine from 1984 to Current, you can use Business Source Complete! Valuable to researchers of 20th-century current events, politics, business, and science, as well as those interested in the history of journalism, advertising and popular culture. Cover-to-cover processing presents each issue in its entirety as originally published with articles and cover pages fully indexed.  Predecessor Titles:
  • United States Daily, 1926 -1933.  “Presenting the only daily record of the official acts of legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government of the United States of America”
  • United States News, 1933-1948. “America’s National newsweekly”
  • World Report, 1946-1948 “The weekly newsmagazine of world affairs”
  • U.S. News & World Report, 1948-1984

Vanity Fair Magazine (1913-1936, 1983-2015, & Current)

If you would like to read issues of Vanity Fair from 2016 to Current, you can use Overdrive Magazines! The first version of Vanity Fair was published from 1913 to 1936. The imprint was then revived in 1983. Published by Conde Nast Publications, Vanity Fair has been highlighting artists, illustrators and writers providing in-depth coverage and social commentary. Beginning with the Jazz Age, the magazine archive chronicles popular culture, fashion, celebrity portraiture and politics through the years.  The original version of Vanity Fair featured popular, avant-garde covers for its first run from September 1913 through February 1936. When the magazine was relaunched 47 years later in March 1983 the new cover focused on celebrity portraits and political figures. Vanity Fair is known for the contributions of famous photographers such as Bruce Weber, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino and Herb Ritts. They’ve provided the magazine with a series of lavish covers and full-page portraits of current celebrities. In addition, the magazine has been known for a string of exposés e.g. about the cigarette industry, and the unveiling of the identity of Deep Throat. The magazine has also featured candid interviews with celebrities, including a monthly Proust Questionnaire.
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