Hi! I’m Megan Wilson, a journalism student at the University of Arkansas who’s interning with the Libraries’ public relations department this summer. As someone who has always loved reading, I was excited to find all of the online databases the Libraries have for students.
The University of Arkansas Libraries have hundreds of online databases, but the majority of students only use a handful. The Libraries have a database called Independent Voices, which features thousands of newspapers, magazines and journals written by feminists, Black Power advocates, LGBT activists and the extreme right-wing press, just to name a few. There are over 15,000 articles on issues from every perspective.
The database goes back to 1950. It’s fascinating to read real accounts of what people all over the world were experiencing. All content is separated into nine main categories: Black American, Campus Underground, Feminist, GI PRESS, LGBT, Latino, Little Magazine, Native American and Right-Wing. Then, those are grouped by media type. Students can go to Independent Voices to cite articles for class assignments or just to use for fun. Scrolling through the list, I already found readings I have used in English and literature classes like Sojourner Truth’s poem “Ain’t I A Woman?”. This is a great way to diversify your reading and look at work you wouldn’t normally see in a general English class.
Independent Voices is funded by colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and the UK. In January 2019, the database will be open to the world. It is currently only open to libraries who fund the site.