The Ridgewood Public Library (RPL) possesses a wide array of local newspaper titles on microfilm. Below is a list of titles, indexes, and other repositories who hold similar microfilm collections (if you know of any other repositories, please let us know).

Where official indexes do not exist, GSBC members have indexing the names appearing in many of these titles — usually older 19th century titles and local, limited subscription newspapers. These indexing projects span many years and represent the work of dozens of GSBC volunteers over thousands of hours. If you wish to help with the indexing of these titles,  contact us — we can't do this without you!

Should you find an entry of interest to you, you can view the microfilm on-site at the RPL. Scans and extended information are free for GSBC Members (please email us the particulars or full reference citation). Non-members may order a scan through our store for $5 per lookup (select Submit a Query).


GSBC-Indexed Titles (Online and On-Site)

The Hackensack Republican, including the Bergen County Watchman and the New Jersey Republican (1873-1879). Indexing concluded in early 2014. Indexes > Newspapers

The NJ Citizen (26 May 1871 through 29 December 1871). Indexes > Newspapers

The Bergen Democrat (partial years), indexed by Pat Wardell. Available in The Archivist.


Publisher-Provided Indexes (On-Site at RPL)

Index to the News of North Bergen County, 1975-1986. Covers the Bergen Record and the Ridgewood (Sunday) News.

Index to the News of South Bergen County 1967-1980. Covers the Bergen Record and other local papers.

Obituaries in the Sunday News and the Ridgewood News 1988-1991.


The following newspapers, if not listed above, do not have published name indexes. If you know if an date-secific event (i.e., a birth, marriage, graduation, award), look to the next-publised issue, or two, for the entry.

Should you find an entry of interest to you, you can view the microfilm on-site at the RPL. Scans and extended information are free for GSBC Members (please email us the particulars or full reference citation). Non-members may order a scan through our store for $5 per lookup (select Submit a Query).


Ridgewood, NJ Newspapers

As a thriving Village, Ridgewood has enjoyed nearly constant weekly coverage of local news, births, deaths, marriages, editorials, letters, personals, happenings, gossip, police and fire reports, society pages, graduations, and local businesses.  Although the coverage has been nearly seamless since 1891, the titles and owners changed over the years.

Ridgewood News — Weekly. Coverage 5 June 1891–22 June 1906, and 1911–25 Jan 1940. (Succeeded by the Ridgewood Herald News.)
Ridgewood Herald — Weekly. Coverage 13 July 1901–25 Jan 1940.
(Succeeded by the Ridgewood Herald News.)
Ridgewood Herald News — Weekly. Coverage 1 Feb 1940–28 Dec 1972.
(Preceded by the Ridgewood News and the Ridgewood Herald. Succeeded by the Ridgewood News.)
Ridgewood News — Weekly. Coverage 4 Jan 1973–present.
(Preceded by the Ridgewood Herald News)
Ridgewood Sunday News — Weekly. Coverage 15 July 1923–4 Aug 2001.
Note that from 1996 the Ridgewood Sunday News is filmed with the Ridgewood News.


Town, County and Local News

Bergen Record — Daily. The library's collection on microfilm starts in 1970 and continues through the present. Some parts are searchable online through BCCLS (at the RPL).
Microfilm also available at:
– The Johnson Public Library in Hackensack, 1901 – present on microfilm (index in progress)
– Bergen Community College in Paramus, 1901–1922, 1955 – present on microfilm
– Ramapo College, 1924–1994 on microfilm.


New Jersey Republican > Bergen County Watchman > Hackensack Republican Indexes > Newspapers

New Jersey Republican — Weekly. Published 1873–Mar 1878. Indexes > Newspapers
(Succeeded by Bergen County Watchman.)
– Microfilm also available at Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (3 Apr 1873 - 2 Mar 1874). Note that there is a gap in coverage from 4 Apr 1874 to 14 March 1878.

Bergen County Watchman — Weekly. Published Mar–5 Sep 1878. Indexes > Newspapers
(Succeeded by New Jersey Republican.)
– Microfilm also available at Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (14 Mar–5 Sep 1878)

Hackensack Republican — Weekly. Published 13 Sep 1878–14 Feb 1936. Indexes > Newspapers
(Succeeded by The Bergen County Observer.) RPL has 1878–20 Oct 1938.
Microfilm also available at:
– Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (13 Sep 1878–14 Feb 1936)
– Rutgers University, New Brunswick (5 Jun 1879–15 Aug 1889)

Hackensack Observer — Weekly. Published 20 Oct 1938 - ? RPL (20 Oct - 29 Dec 1938)
Microfilm also available at:
– Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (20 Oct–29 Dec 1938)
– Rutgers University, New Brunswick (21 Feb 1946–Aug 1949)


Bergen County Democrat And New Jersey State Register

Bergen County Democrat and New Jersey State Register — Weekly. Published 27 Dec 1861–Feb 1890. (Succeeded by the Bergen County Democrat and Rockland County Journal. Continued by Bergen County Democrat.)

Microfilm also available at:
– Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (27 Dec 1861–25 Sep 1863, 7 Oct 1864–Feb 1890, all extant issues)

Bergen County Democrat — Weekly. Published 7 Mar 1890–Apr 1912, and 27 Jun 1913–1919. (Succeeded by the Bergen County Democrat And New Jersey State Register. In May 1912 there was a brief merger of the Bergen County Democrat and the Bergen News, a daily, but after June 1913 they separated again.) RPL has 27 Dec 1861–26 Dec 1919 on microfilm (this includes preceding titles). Also available at Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (all issues)

The New York Times — Daily. Microfilm (1851–1995).


Other Local Newspapers

Bergen Index — Published weekly 27 Feb 1875–Nov 1878; semiweekly until Dec 1891; tri-weekly until 1896; ceased publication in July 1907. RPL holds microfilm for 27 Feb 1875–30 Dec 1895 (7 rolls). Contains deaths, marriage notices, and lots of local news.
Microfilm also available at:
– Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (27 Feb 1875–5 Jan 1893; 25 Jul 1893–30 Dec 1895)
– New Jersey Historical Society, Newark (4 Mar 1876–28 Dec 1895).

New Jersey Citizen — Published weekly, 18 May 1871–Feb 1873; semi-weekly after March 1873.
RPL holds microfilm for 18 May 1871–12 Mar 1874 (1 roll). Note that May 26, 1871 through Dec 29, 1871 and can be searched on this site. Indexes > Newspapers
Microfilm also available at:
– Johnson Free Public Library, Hackensack (same dates).

Bergen County Journal — RPL holds microfilm for 6 Mar 1858–21 Sep 1861 (Microfilm MF 32)

Passaic Herald News — RPL holds microfilm for January 1964 only (Microfilm MF 35)

New Jersey Weekly Eagle (Newark) — RPL holds microfilm for 31 Jan 1843–17 Nov 1857 (Microfilm MF 34)

Allendale Press — RPL holds microfilm for 27 Apr 1951–24 Jan 1957 (Microfilm MF 41, film 1 & 2)

The Landscape — This newspaper was published in Saddle River from June 1882–October 1901. Although the publisher was African-American, the paper contains news, weather, events, announcements, and gossip on locals of all races and background. A copy of this publication was donated to the Bolger by Kay Yeomans of the Upper Saddle River Historical Society. The photocopied pages are in the Bolger Heritage Center. 


New Jersey Newspapers at the NJ State Library

For other newspapers throughout New Jersey, consult the New Jersey Union List of Serials database via the NJ State Library website. http://www.njstatelib.org/services_for_libraries/statewide_services/jerseycat/union_list_of-serials/

  • Go to Advanced Search
  • Type in town name (keep in mind that many Bergen town had constantly-shifting borders!)
  • Limit format to Serials or Microform (this will give you slightly different results)
  • Limit resources to Magazines, Journals and Newspapers (with serials, this will also bring up city directories and other yearly publications)
  • Note all citation information and ask your library to order it for you through an Interlibrary Loan