Periodical Directories

United States: Basic Sources

Chronicling America, enhancing access to historic American newspapers  (Library of Congress) includes a searchable newspaper directory (1690-present) which can be limited by ethnicity and/or occupation (for the labor press).

N.W. Ayer & Son's directory of newspapers and periodicals [title varies], 1880-1982.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.3 (1880-1881, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1919-1923, 1926-1929, 1931-1932, 1934-1935, 1938-1969, 1970-1982))

Includes circulation statistics. In a section (usually called Lists, Classifications or Subject Indexes) after the main geographical sequence are lists of agricultural, college, foreign language, Black (early called colored, then Negro), religious, fraternal (early called secret societies), trade and technical (including scientific and medical), and labor publications which carry advertising. The foregoing categories may have their own headings or may be included, with many others, within the Trade, Technical and Class section.

Full text online, 1869-1922

Continued by:
Gale directory of publications [title varies], 1983- .
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository WID-LC PN4855.Z99 I47x
HOLLIS record for 1983-85, 1987-89
HOLLIS record for 1990-

Current Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media in the Gale directory library. (Title on record is National directory of nonprofit organizations but Open Select one or more directories to limit to Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media.

The Working press of the nation, 1947-2002.
HOLLIS Record

Continued by: Bowker's news media directory, 2003-2009.
HOLLIS Record

World almanac from 1949-date has circulation figures for major US newspapers.
LOCATION: Widener: Reference Services Room - Across from Reference Desk.

Periodicals directory, 1932-38.
Ulrich's periodicals directory, 1943-63.
Ulrich's international periodicals directory, 1965-2000.
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository

Current edition:
Ulrich's periodicals directory, 2001- .
LOCATION: Widener: RR651.2 Latest

Periodicals grouped by subject. Editions from 11th (1965-66) to present have circulation figures for many non-newspaper periodicals. 9th ed. (1959) has "A Selected List of Current Newspapers United States and Foreign" which includes circulation statistics.

Editor & publisher, 1901- .
Online versions. 1988- .
Baker Business Microfilm v.1-131(1901-1998), v.136-141(2003-2008); Microfiche (1999-2001)
Widener WID-LC PN4700 .E4 [Current Issues: Periodicals Reading Room Stacks] (1990- )
HOLLIS Record
HathiTrust (1909-1927)
Internet Archive Full Text (1901-2015)

Contains news of the profession of journalism. Content varies. Includes information on newspaper and advertising executives, organizations, rates, and news of the profession. Directory for US, Britain, Ireland and Canada. Circulation figures for English dailies. List of French dailies. List of foreign correspondents in the US.

Absorbed:
Fourth estate : a weekly newspaper for publishers, advertisers, advertising agents and allied interests
HathiTrust
Baker Business Historical Collections -- Baker Old Class Serial RBPG.9 F78 (no. 1-1762, 1894-Nov. 26, 1927)
and
The Journalist. New York, 1884-[1907]
HOLLIS Record
HathiTrust Full Text (v.6 Sept. 1887-Mar. 1888; v.15-16 Mar. 1892-Mar. 1893)

Supplement:
Editor & publisher international year book, 1959-2011.
Issued 1920/21-1958 in January as a regular number, or section of a regular number, of Editor & publisher.
HOLLIS Record
Internet Archive Full Text (1980-2008)
--Offers directory, with circulation and political orientation information, on US and worldwide newspapers.

United States: Additional Sources (Chronologically arranged)

Catalogue of the newspapers and periodicals published in the United States, showing the town and county in which the same are published, how often issued, their character, and circulation, by J. C. G. Kennedy. In: Livingston's law register for 1852. New -York, J. Livingston, 1852.
Subject access. Includes circulation statistics
LOCATION: Law School: Unclassed
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.235

American newspaper directory and record of the press containing an accurate list of all the newspapers, magazines, reviews, periodicals, etc. in the United States & British provinces of North America: also, a concise general view of the origin, rise and progress of newspapers, by Daniel J. Kenny. New York: Watson, 1861.
Subject access.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.205 Photocopy.

Pettengill's newspaper directory and advertisers' handbook for ... : comprising a complete list of the newspapers and other periodicals published in the United States and British America.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.14 (1870, 1877)

Lists of daily, religious, agricultural, educational, medical and surgical, and other periodicals, pp. 169-201.

American newspaper directory, 1869-1904? NY: G.P. Rowell.
LOCATION: Widener: AL 6.5 (1870, 1873, 1882, 1891)

Subject access. Includes circulation statistics.

Dauchy & Company's newspaper catalogue.
Widener: AL 6.9 (1891, 1894-95, 1897-98)

Indexed by language and subject. Includes circulation statistics.

History and present condition of the newspaper and periodical press of the United States: with a catalogue of the publications of the census year, by S. N. D. North. [Buffalo, N.Y.: W. S. Hein, 1884].
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4855.N6x 1977 F

Subject access. Includes circulation statistics.

Edwin Alden co's American newspaper catalogue, including lists of all newspapers and magazines published in the United States and the Canadas; together with the population of the cities and towns in which they are published; their politics, class or denomination, size, and claimed circulation. The whole being specially arranged for the convenience of advertisers. Cincinnati, E. Alden & co's advertising agency, 1885-1886.
LOCATION: Widener | AL 6.4 Library has: 1885-1886

Includes circulation statistics.

Lord & Thomas' pocket directory.
Widener: AL 6.15 (1892-1893)

Includes circulation statistics.

National newspaper directory and gazetteer.
Widener: AL 6.11 (1892, 1899-1901)

Indexed by subject. Includes circulation statistics. 1892 ed. called Business-Man's Hand-Book.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Willing's press guide [title varies], 1890- .
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: 1.Ba.186.
LOCATION: Widener: RR 681.312 Latest
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository B 2083.3 (1895-1897)
Harvard Depository B 2083.3 Earlier (1899-1927)
Harvard Depository B 2083.3 Earlier (1928-2012)
HathiTrust: 1891-1908  --  1904, 1910-1921 inc  --  1905-1928 inc  --  1902-1916 inc
Internet Archive 1899-1946 inc. Use List view to see dates
--Coverage varies. Alphabetical list of all periodicals in UK with subject index.  International: Lists of periodicals by country. Newspapers: circulation, geographical coverage.

Continues:
May's British & Irish press guide, 1874 - 1889
LOCATION: Widener: Harvard Depository B 2083.3 (12th ed. (1885))
LOCATION: Microforms (Lamont): Film S 1339 (5th ed. (1878); 8th ed. (1881))

Mitchell's Newspaper Press Directory and Advertisers' Guide. First published l846, and then intermittently 1847, 1851, and 1854; from l856 regular annual issues appeared.

Gliserman, S. Mitchell's Newspaper Directory, l846 - l907. Victorian Periodicals Newsletter, 4, April, l969.

Linton, D. "Mitchell's, May's and Sell's: Newspaper Directories of the Victorian Era." Journal of Newspaper and Periodical History, lll, no. 2, l987;

Linton, D. Mr. Mitchell's 'National Work.' Journal of Advertising History, 2, l979

Victorian Periodicals: Aids to Research: A Selected Bibliography, by Rosemary T. VanArsdel. 2010.

Newspaper press directory, 1846-1976; later title, Benn’s press directory, 1978- . [title varies]
HathiTrust
Google Books version
In Internet Archive
Location : CRL (Ctr for Research Libs) [To obtain CRL items, submit an Interlibrary Loan request via your home library] (1953-76)
Location : Widener 10467.26.10 (1905, 1946/7, 1951, 1954, 1965, 1973-76)
Location : Widener Harvard Depository PN4731.Z99 B4612x (1978-1982) Vol. 1, UK; vol. 2, Overseas.
Location : Widener Harvard Depository PN4731.Z99 B4612x (1983-1985) UK ed.
Location : Widener Harvard Depository PN4731.Z99 B4612x (1986-1991) UK ed. 
Location : Widener Harvard Depository PN4731.Z99 B4613x (1986-1991) Internat. ed.
Location : Widener Harvard Depository PN4731.Z99 B47x (1993-2009) [Vols. for 1993- issued in 3 vols.: Vol. 1, United Kingdom; v. 2, Europe; v. 3, World]
HathiTrust 1895, 1905, 1912, 1913, 1928
Internet Archive 1847, 1917, 1918, 1922
--Coverage varies. UK: Gives date of inception, circulation, geographical coverage, political orientations sometimes given in annotations. Foreign: Bare title lists by country

Worldwide

Willing's and Benn's (above in UK) have foreign listings as well.

The following yearbooks usually have brief listings of newspapers for each country.

Europa world year book [before 1989 titled Europa year book], 1959- . London: Europa Publications
Current Online Version
HOLLIS Record 1989-
HOLLIS Record 1959-1988
--Includes list of major newspapers.
--There are Europa yearbooks on particular parts of the world. Find them by searching in HOLLIS: Europa Publications Limited.

Example:
Africa South of the Sahara. London, Europa Publications Ltd. 1971-
Widener | RR 4370.30 = Latest
Widener | Afr 1.118 = Earlier

Political handbook of the world, 1927-1970, 1975- (Annual, title varies)
Online version (2005- )
Widener Harvard Depository JF37 .P6 (1984-2002)
Widener WID-LC JF37 .P6 (1975-2009)
Widener H 1089.27 (1927-1970)
-- Political handbook of Europe (1927)
-- Lists of newspapers with political affiliation and editors.

Bibliography of Directories

Periodical directories and bibliographies: an annotated guide to approximately 350 directories, bibliographies, and other sources of information about English-language periodicals, from 1850 to the present, including newspapers, journals, magazines, newsletters, yearbooks, and other serial publications / Gary C. Tarbert, editor. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1987, 195 pp.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC PN4832.Z99 P47 x, 1987

With subject index.