The Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) recently launched a new search engine for researching digitized historical newspapers and magazines on its website. Researchers now have access to a more dynamic search engine and new features that make it easy to bookmark/save search results for later review, share findings on social media, and save favourites.
Last week’s blog post, How to search historical newspapers online with Quebec Archives’ new search engine: Part 1, provided step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the new search engine and select filters to improve the quality of the search results.
Part 2 explains how to find the keyword(s) in the selected newspaper and how to use the five icons on the right of the screen.
Get started
Start your search on the Revues et journaux québécois numérisés (Digitized Quebec magazines and newspapers). Enter your keyword(s), select the filters in the right-hand margin, and then look at a newspaper by clicking on Accéder (Access) next to it. (See Part 1 for details on how to filter the search criteria.)
Accessing a newspaper
Once you click on Accéder to view the actual newspaper, search for your keyword by clicking on the magnifying glass. Use the arrow keys next to new search box to move from one occurrence of the keyword to the next.
Search tip
When searching for two or more keywords as an exact phrase, such as the first and last name of an ancestor, the magnifying glass only selects the first name and last names separately.
To search for the first and last names together, select the download icon to see a PDF. Next, use the Find feature on your computer, CTRL+F on a PC or Control+F on a Mac, and enter your keywords there to search the newspaper.
Six features
There are six features in the right-hand margin that enhance the search results.
1. Information
The first of the six features is Information, and it appears as a lowercase I in the top-right. Click on it to learn, in French, about the newspaper. To translate this information into English, copy and paste it into GoogleTranslate. Equally important is the permalink that allows you to copy and paste the URL of the newspaper to save for future reference and to use in the citation.
2. Elements
Under Information is Élements. The number indicates the number of sections in the newspaper, such as Sports, Arts, and Business.
3. Browse by date
If you want to browse other issues of this newspaper, click on the third icon — a calendar — and select year, month, and day.
4. Reprint
Order a Reproduction (Reprint) by clicking on the shopping cart icon.
5. Share
The fourth icon allows you to share the newspaper on Facebook, Twitter, or by Courriel (Email).
6. Favourites
The ♥ icon allows holders of a BAnQ subscriber’s card to add the newspaper to My Favourites (Mes favoris).
A BAnQ subscriber’s card is free for all Quebec residents. Non-residents can join by paying $50 for a three-month subscription.
To obtain a subscriber’s card, visit the subscription desk (Comptoir d’abonnement) of the Grande Bibliothèque or at one of BAnQ’s ten other facilities. Information about acquiring a subscriber’s card is available on the BAnQ website.
Help available
If you need assistance searching through newspapers or other digitized records, fill in the online form or call them at 514-873-1100 or 1-800-363-9028. Select option 4 to speak to an archivist. (Toll free is likely for Quebec only.) The BAnQ archivists will be pleased to help you in English or French.
