Chronicling Battle Creek is a digital archive of nearly 40 local newspapers published in the city from 1846 to the present day. This searchable, web-based resource replaces Willard Library’s microfilm collection, providing easy access to guests at our library downtown or at the Helen Warner Branch.
Whether you are researching family history, the provenance of a historical home or building, or historical events, Chronicling Battle Creek is an incredible trove.
Copyright restrictions limit access to most of the collection to guests of Willard Library downtown or the Helen Warner Branch. Guests with or without library cards can access the archive on one of our public computers or on their own device through the library’s free Wi-Fi network.
Cardholders can also access newspapers in the public domain — those printed before 1928 — from the convenience of their home or office. Fourteen years in the making, Chronicling Battle Creek preserves the archival record of our community's heritage for historians, genealogists and scholars worldwide.
The newspapers in this collection have been digitized to preserve them. Access to in-copyright newspapers is available on-site only. Remote access to out-of-copyright newspapers is available with a library card. The newspapers are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership of the materials is properly cited. Any commercial use and/or redistribution of the materials, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is strictly prohibited and any infringement is the sole responsibility of the user. For permission to use specific materials, please contact the copyright holder. Use of this search product implies agreement with these restrictions.