The number of print journals in the NAI library are more than 1.500 titles, some 100 are current.

Our local library catalogue (part of AfricaLit Plus External link, opens in new window.) includes references to more than 7.000 articles and special issues selected from our most important academic journals, mainly from the years 1990-2000, fewer thereafter.

Access

Due to the unique character of the collection we do not allow (home) loans. You may copy articles while in the library. Distance users may order copies through their local library (part of the interlibrary loan service).

NAI library subscribed to various daily newspapers in print until the mid-2000s. Due to the increase of daily news available on the internet as well as the many problems connected with the distribution of daily newspapers, the library ceased its subscriptions.

The access to older newspapers is important for research on Africa and several titles are unique. Titles are added to the collection by occasional donations.

Current Newspapers

In our link collection A Guide to Africa on the Internet, you'll find links to free newspapers and other news sources (possible to sort by country):

• News and Media> Newspapers and magazines External link.
• News and Media > News agencies and services External link.

Similarly, you'll find a News and Media section under each country.

Newspaper content from South Africa and Southern Africa are available in the databases African News Agency and SA Media, accessible at NAI or via remote access.

For current newspapers, both Factiva database and Pressreader, common databases at university libraries, have African Newspapers although coverage for different countries varies. NAI does not provide access to these databases.

Historical Newspapers

African studies libraries have collections of African daily newspapers. Historically, there has been challenges with distribution. Holdings of single titles may be in short time spans and incomplete. There is also great variety in which countries/regions that are represented.

The library has newspapers in print as well as access to digitized newspapers. NAI library subscribed to daily newspapers in print until the mid-2000s from various countries.

• List of newspapers External link, opens in new window.
  To find newspapers from a specific country, add country name after clicking on above link.

Cooperative Africana Materials Project (CAMP) External link. - hosted at the Center for Research Libraries (CRL, in Chicago, USA) - has digital and microfilmed collections with newspapers, journals and government publications from several African countries.

• Browse newspapers countrywise External link.

Microfilms can be ordered as interlibrary loans through the NAI library.
Charges for postage will apply.

Print material from the main CRL catalogue External link. can be suggested for digitization instead of interlibrary loan requests.

Anyone can browse the records of the CAMP digital collection External link.. At NAI premises digitized contents can be accessed in full.

• AJOL - African Journals OnLine External link, opens in new window.
  Search/browse African scholarly journals. Note: full text articles upon ordering only.
• African e-Journal Project External link, opens in new window.
  Full text archive inlcuding back issues of 11 scholarly journals published in Africa in social sciences and humanities. Directory of journals about Africa with links to full text articles.
• African Journal Archive External link, opens in new window.
  A retrospective digitisation project of full-text journal articles published in Africa, in Social Sciences and Humanities.
• DISA. Southern African Freedom Struggles, c. 1950 – 1994 External link, opens in new window.
  Full and open user-friendly access in the public domain through an online search facility.
• Africa Section of the Electronic Journals Library Uni-Regensburg via ilissAfrica External link, opens in new window.
  Offers access to more than 740 scholarly journals, some open access, some licensed.
• African Studies Journals @ Wikipedia External link, opens in new window.
  List of academic journals within African Studies, published mainly in Europe, US or Africa. Some restricted, some open access.

• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) External link, opens in new window.
  Provides access to quality controlled, scholarly open access journals in full text. The directory aim s to be comprehensive without limitations regarding languages or subject areas.
• JSTOR External link, opens in new window.
  Journal articles in full-text from journals covering various subjects. The articles are scanned from the year the journals started and some of them are from the 19th century.
• Project MUSE External link, opens in new window.
  Online access to over 300 high quality humanities, arts, and social sciences journals, of which several with focus on Africa. Check if your institution has access to full-text articles.