Johnson Public Library Receives "REV 250: Examining the Semiquincentennial through a Jersey Lens" Grant Award and Creates The Bergen County Historical News Archive
- For Immediate Release
- Sep 11
- 2 min read
Hackensack, NJ -- The Johnson Public Library now offers access to the Bergen County Historical News Archive thanks to a generous grant awarded by the New Jersey State Library. Funding from the grant has allowed JPL to digitize Bergen County historical newspapers and create the Bergen County Historical News Archive Database—available for free for everyone.
The archive is hosted at hackensack.historyarchives.online/home. Local history researchers and enthusiasts can can search, view, clip, and print full-text articles from the following newspapers:
Hackensack Republican (1878-1938)
Bergen County Democrat (1861-1919)
Bergen Index (1878-1895)
Bergen News (1912-1914)
Bergen County Journal (1858-1860)
New Jersey Citizen (1871-1874)
The grant additionally supported the purchase of a database station, which can be used to view The Bergen County Historical News Archive and other newspaper subscriptions (including Proquest’s NJ Historical Newspapers featuring The Record) at Johnson Public Library. The station features an 11"x17" printer—perfect for printing out full pages—and also displays articles from the library’s extensive microfilm collection. Patrons can use editing software to improve the legibility of prints. More information can be found on the Johnson Public Library website at johnsonlib.org/newspapers.
Training Session Event
Finding Local Historic News Information at the Library
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 6:30-7:30 PM
Were your ancestors from Bergen County? Are you interested in finding more information about your family tree? The Johnson Public Library has resources for researchers looking for obituaries, news articles or business information going back to the mid-1800s. We will teach you how to use our brand new Bergen County Historical News Archive, as well as other newspaper databases that include The Record (1901-present). We also have a brand new database station that you can use to access our collection on microfilm.
Registration is recommended but not required for this event. You will receive a reminder email the day before the event if you register. Visit tinyurl.com/JPLHistory25 to register.
About Johnson Public Library
The Johnson Public Library serves Hackensack’s diverse population of over 46,000 residents by providing access to information, technology, and opportunities to learn and connect with others. The library is a member of BCCLS (Bergen County Cooperative Library System) and offers an extensive physical and virtual collection of books, audiobooks, movies, ebooks, and more. For more information about available materials, events, and services, please visit the library’s website at johnsonlib.org.
About the Grant
The Accessing History with the Bergen County Historical News Archive project was funded by a grant from the New Jersey State Library’s initiative REV 250: Examining the Semiquincentennial through a Jersey Lens—an opportunity for public libraries to celebrate New Jersey’s contributions and place in history.
