Hours
January 17, 2026
Important information about access to bound magazines collection
Due to ongoing issues with new equipment at the library’s offsite storage facility, we are currently unable to fulfill requests for bound volumes. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will update this page as soon as service is restored.
In the meantime, please utilize Interlibrary Loan to request magazine articles. If you need assistance making Interlibrary Loan requests, please see a librarian. The FAQ page for Interlibrary Loan is here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 415-557-4453, or via email at mnc@sfpl.org.
The Herb Caen Magazines and Newspapers Center holds thousands of magazines and newspapers from the past to the present, along with San Francisco City Directories and telephone books.
Collections and Resources
- eMagazines & eNews. Electronic databases containing news and magazines from all over the country.
- San Francisco Bay Area Newspapers on Microform
- International newspapers and magazines in the SFPL Catalog
- Bay Area City Directories
- Digitized Historical Newspapers. Includes full-text digital scans of historical newspapers from San Francisco, California, and the entire U.S.
- Obituary-Related Resources
- Obituary Search Request Form (Death Notices)
- San Francisco Community News Websites. A collection of archived websites from local and community newspapers located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Digital Reader/Scanners: The Magazines & Newspapers Center has digital reader/scanners for use with microfilm and microfiche. The scanners allow for browsing, reading and capturing digital images from microforms. Scanned images may be saved to your USB drive or emailed to your account. No appointment is necessary to use the reader/scanners, and staff are available to assist.
- How to Research a San Francisco Business
- The SFPL Magazines and Newspapers Center Blog (archived): Discusses all manner of topics celebrating magazines and newspapers.
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