eNewspapers

In this section:

Changes to eMagazines and eNewspapers from 1st April 2025

OverDrive will be making changes to how you access eMagazines from April 1st 2025. eNewspapers will continue to be available through PressReader and NewsbankUK, but eMagazines will now only be available through OverDrive’s Libby app and website.

Go to our eMagazines page to find information on how to use Libby but please do contact us on 247library@solihull.gov.uk if you need further help.

With our eNewspaper services you can read full colour digital copies of thousands of newspapers  from over 100 countries and over 60 languages on your computer, smartphone or tablet, wherever you are.

You can access these completely free of charge using your library membership. If you're not a member you can join online.

PressReader includes all UK national newspapers apart from the Times/Sunday Times, and the Sun/Sun on Sunday, plus many local papers and worldwide titles. You can read these as if you were reading a physical paper, turning the pages and it's the whole paper including sports results, adverts and pictures - and even crosswords!

NewsbankUK includes UK newspapers and also the Times/Sunday Times and Sun/Sun on Sunday, plus many local papers including the Solihull Observer. In addition you can search newspaper archives for articles back to the 1980s for national papers, and also local papers including the Birmingham Mail and Solihull News. 

NewsbankUK includes articles from the Financial Times but only after 30 days has passed from the dates of publication. It is not possible to view the current Financial Times online through our eNewspaper services.

Read eNewspapers through PressReader

 

PressReader App

The PressReader app will allow to view and download newspapers on tablets and phones.

The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store (IoS 15 and over), and is also available for Windows devices and tablets, and Kindle Fires. Once you have logged in using your library card/membership number, the app stays logged in for 30 days, wherever you are (If you are logged out, then you can login again immediately).

The app also allows you to download titles for offline reading or to keep on your tablet.

A new feature, Autotranslate, allows you to translate articles from and to English and around 25 other languages. See the Using the PressReader app instructions for more on this.

Instructions for Press Reader using the app and also on this webpage.
If you are playing the video click on the CC button on the bottom of the screen for subtitles.

 

There are two ways to read:

  • 1 - in your web browser from any location - use the link above
  • 2 - in the PressReader app from any location using your library card, or a hotspot - this includes any Solihull library if you use the library’s free wifi
  • Daily Express
  • Daily Mail
  • Daily Telegraph
  • Guardian
  • I and The Independent

Plus their Sunday versions.

  • Birmingham Mail
  • Birmingham Post and Sunday Mercury
  • Irish, Scottish and Welsh papers.
  • Washington Post
  • Wall Street Journal
  • the Times of India
  • Asian Age
  • Le Monde
  • Rheinische Post
  • French Vogue. 

Back issues are available for 90 days but current issues are normally available on the day of publication.

PressReader website

PressReader app

In the PressReader app there is also a new Autotranslate function that enables you to translate articles from and to multiple languages. 
 

Newsbank Global Edition

Newsbank Global Edition logo

Read eNewspapers through Newsbank

Newsbank Global Edition allows you to access a newspaper archive that includes:

  • world newspapers
  • most UK national papers 
  • local papers such as the Solihull Observer (text archive from 2014, image of paper from Jan 2024), Birmingham Mail and Sunday Mercury.

In addition, current issues of many papers including most UK ones are available as they are published in full image form - this includes the Times/ Sunday Times and Sun/Sun on Sunday which are not available on  PressReader.

You can also explore diverse perspectives and stay informed on local, national and global topics, people and events by searching sources across more than 200 countries.

Go to the link above and 

  1. enter your library card/membership number - enter the numbers after the SLP on physical library cards, or just the numbers for digital library cards. For online memberships, enter the number with the WP or H in front.

. If you're not a member you can join online.

Historical newspapers

British Newspaper Archive

A collection of millions of pages from hundreds of British newspapers from the 1700s to the 1990s. There are local papers from all parts of the country available in full text, and thousands of new pages are being added each week at the British Library.

National titles include the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Sunday People, the Daily Express, Illustrated London News, and many suffragette titles.

For this area, the Solihull News, Birmingham Daily Post, Birmingham Mail, Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, Coventry Telegraph and Warwick & Warwickshire Advertiser are available (though not with complete runs)

The Archive is available for use in Solihull libraries only, but you can use it with your own device using the free Solihull Libraries wifi

eMagazines

You can also borrow from nearly 5000 eMagazines through the Libby app from Overdrive, with 3 years' back issues available.
 

eBooks and eAudiobooks

You can also download eBooks or eAudiobooks to your tablet, laptop or computer for up to 21 days.