The Trove database is an excellent tool for family historians, especially its collection of digitised Australian newspapers. Newspapers help you find births, deaths and marriages, while also documenting the social lives of everyday folk through mentions in sporting pages, legal notices, accidents and educational achievements. Librarian Alex Miller introduces Trove to those who haven’t yet investigated this resource, or who are having difficulty searching this large database.

1. Trove:
Introduction to
searching
newspapers
Alexandra Miller and
Gaby Asenjo

2. This session we will cover:
• What is Trove
• Why it is useful
• Searching Trove
• “Hands on” practice
• Questions at the end

4. What is Trove?
• Searchable collection of information
about resources
• Discovery service – 11 zones
• Digital content repository (limited
after 1954 due to copyright)
• Community of content partners and
users

5. Why is Trove useful in family history
research?
• Helps you find and use resources
e.g. newspapers, gazettes, images
• Links directly to previously
unsuspected or inaccessible details
e.g. family notices, criminal
proceedings

6. Why is Trove useful in family history
research?
• Provides clues to areas for further
research, e.g. court records
• “Fleshes out” our knowledge of
individual family members

7. Newspapers
Newspapers are organised by:
• Title
• Issue (date)
• Page
• Article *a single article can contain
multiple items, eg family notices
They can be searched or browsed

8. Searching Newspapers
• How you search depends on what
you are searching for
• There are many ways to search
Trove and to refine your search
• Don’t be afraid to experiment and
play

9. Exercise sheet
• Please work through the sheet with
me – don’t skip ahead
• Put your hand up if you need help

10. Searching tips
• Broaden your search - Search beyond
specific place/state, or date
• Be aware of name variants
• Try sorting by date
• Consider style and format of notices
• Use variety of search strategies
including power search options

11. Unsuccessful searches
May be the result of:
• Missing newspaper issues
• Inaccurate reporting or no reporting
• OCR issues, e.g. poor quality original
material

13. Upcoming Trove Workshops
Improve your Trove skills
12th Apr 2017, 2pm - 2pm
Learn about tags, lists and comments and how to
correct text.
More treasures from Trove
4th May 2017, 10am - 11am
Introductory hands-on session for those who are
just beginning to explore Trove.

14. Any questions?
State Library of Queensland
Ask Us
07 3840 7810
www.slq.qld.gov.au/services/ask-us