Those of us who have the inclination (and courage) to follow U.S. and global news stories in the many American and European media outlets available to us, may feel that we have a pretty complete picture of the day’s events. But did you ever wonder whether Melania Trump’s ball gown, which will end up in the Smithsonian, was reviewed favorably in the Ugandan Press? Or why a South African newspaper op/ed piece describes President Trump as “Just like Jesus, only blond”? Or on the more serious side, wouldn’t you be interested to read The (Nigeria) Daily Trust’s eyewitness account of a Boko Haram attack on a village in the north of the country, seen from the eyes of the villagers themselves?
If your inner voice answers “yes” to these questions, then there’s a treat in store for you. Just virtually crack open the library’s online subscription to Access World News Research Collection and let your imagination run away with you. Access World News is a vast collection of news items from a wide range of media outlets located across the globe. Try a search by keyword or key-phrase (in quotes), then narrow down your results by date range, continent, country, language (English, French, Spanish, Afrikaans, Zulu, etc.), and even specific news source.
Now open an article and start reading. You will immediately feel yourself sinking down into a cultural milieu and point of view different than your own—an exhilarating and enriching experience. The effect is even greater when the news item involves something happening in your home country as seen by non-native eyes. And as an added benefit, the database also covers news from local and regional newspapers across the United States—a great way to keep in touch and soothe your homesickness.
So whether you want to explore the world for personal reasons or enhance your research of a topic with a global dimension, Access World News is a great way to tour your home planet.