News Library
Frequently Asked Questions About the Library's Files
What is in a file?
The contents of each file varies, but most files contain newspaper or magazine articles from national, local, and campus publications. Some subject files contain extra materials, such as brochures, handbooks, maps, reports, and fliers. Many of the people files have biographical information, like a curriculum vita or biographical data sheet/text.
Does the library only keep current news and files?
The focus of the collection is on current news and events, but the contents of the files vary. Some files have materials from the twenties, but most files begin sometime between 1950 and 1980. When a clip goes into a file, it remains there indefinitely. Many older files have been sent to the Archives and Records Management Services in Memorial Library.
How can I find the date and name of the publication of an article?
If the clip has come from a newspaper we clip regularly, the abbreviation of the name of the paper and the date (Month/Day/Year) the article appeared should be written on the clip, usually close to the by-line or title. Sometimes this information is written on the side or at the bottom of the article. If the article was sent to us by a clipping service, there should be a tag somewhere on the article with the date, name of paper, and its location written on it. This information may be written on the clip if there is no tag. The main newspapers we clip are:
| Abbreviation | Newspaper |
|---|---|
| BH | Badger Herald |
| CHE | Chronicle of Higher Education |
| CT | Capital Times |
| DC | Daily Cardinal |
| Isth | Isthmus |
| MJS | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |
| MSNTimes, Mad Times | Madison Times |
| NYT | New York Times |
| USA | Td USA Today |
| WSJ | Wisconsin State Journal |
What are the Inactive Files and how do I use them?
Files in the Inactive Cabinets are: known deceased people, people who are noteworthy but have left UW, and people who have been granted emeritus status at UW but have not been at the university for five years or more. A red sticker indicates the person is known to be deceased. The date of death is noted with a "d." at the beginning of it. A date on a folder followed by an "e" indicates the year emeritus status was granted. A date on a folder without an "e" is usually the year the person was last known to be at the university. These files are lined up next to the copier.
What are the Historical Files and how do I use them?
The Historical Files are older subject files moved into separate cabinets because of space limitations. These files have cross-references on related folders in the main collection and in the Subject Index. You use them like you would the other subject files.