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Translations of Foreign Media

Translations of foreign news media.

History of FBIS, JPRS, and World News Connection

Major translation services from the U.S. government:

Smiliar translation service from Great Britain:

WNC and FBIS offer information gathered from thousands of foreign media sources, including political speeches, television programs and radio broadcasts, and articles from newspapers, periodicals, and books. WNC online covers 1995-2013; while the CIA continues to translate international news through its Open Source Enterprise, it no longer distributes the translations publicly and has since been decomissioned.

BBC Monitoring International Reports is a similar service from the British government.

JPRS began in 1957 and was merged into FBIS in 1996.  In 1997 the reporting system was transformed into the current electronic World News Connection and all print versions were discontinued.  For many years prior to 1996 JPRS was responsible for the translation of foreign language publications into English for government use. Handling materials in almost any language, JPRS provided translations of government documents, scholarly works, research reports, newspaper and periodical articles, and almost anything else appearing in print. JPRS Translations are not limited to any subjects, but ranged over the entire spectrum of the social sciences and science-technology fields and occasionally even the humanities.

Both FBIS and JPRS are arranged by region of the world, including:

  • China
  • Soviet Union and Central Eurasia
  • Asia and the Pacific
  • Eastern Europe
  • Latin America
  • Middle East and Africa
  • South Asia
  • Western Europe

Also of interest:

Where to find World News Connection online

Where to find FBIS Reports

These are the regions, years, full text (print, microfiche, and online), and indexing of FBIS Daily Reports at UVA Library.  

Use Hathi Trust for full-text searching online.  If the volumes you need are only available through print or microfiche, you should consult the index first.  Look up the topic you are interested in the index, then use that information to determine which specific microfiche to request.

If you need further assistance, contact the librarians listed on this page. 

Region Years Full Text Notes & Indexes
Global 1995-2004

Full text:

Due to copyright restrictions there are more articles on the FBIS CDs than there are in WNC online.

China

 

 1968-1996

Full text:

Indexes:

East Asia, Asia and Pacific

 

 1967-1996

Full text:

Indexes:
South Asia 1980-1987

Full text:

 Index:
Near East & South Asia

 

1987-1996

Full text:

Indexes: 

Middle East & Africa 1978-1987

Full text:

 Indexes:
Sub-Saharan Africa 1988-1996 Full text:

Indexes:

Latin America 1988-1996

Full text:

 Indexes:
Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Central Eurasia

1968-1972, 1977-1996

Full text:

 Indexes:

Western Europe

 1987-1996

Full text:

Indexes:
"White Book" 1947-1967 

Full text:

 
  • White Book is a "digest" version of all regions combined.
  • Microfilm (Except 1973 only, paper Doc US stacks).

Where to find JPRS Reports

These are the formats, locations, and call numbers of backfiles and indexing of JPRS Reports at UVA Library.  If you need further assistance, contact the librarians listed on this page. 

Format Years Indexing Notes
Discontinued 1996 --- Merged into FBIS.  See information above

Microfiche, and a very few in paper -

Y 3.J 66/13:
PrEx 7.13:
PrEx 7.14:
see notes

 1976-1996 PREX 7.13:
Transdex (1971-1996)

Transdex Index
1971-1974 (Paper) 

PREX 7.10:Transdex
1975-1996 (MF only)

Sudoc Class numbers vary:

1976 --mid 1979 -- Y3.J66:13:(JPRS number)
1979-1981 -- PrEx 7.13:(JPRS number)
1981-1983 -- PrEx 7.14: - PrEx 7.23:(JPRS number)
1984-1990 -- PrEx 7.14: - PrEx 7.23:(JPRS series #)
1990-1996 -- PrEx 7.13:(JPRS number)

Consult Guide to U.S. Government Publications (Andriot) -Z1223 .Z7 A572 - behind 3rd floor desk - for specific stem call numbers for specific JPRS series.

Microprint

 

Contained in the United States Government publications; non-depository Collection from Readex

 1958-1977 Monthly Catalog

All Readex Microprint Cards in storage, Ivy Stacks.   Cards filed by Monthly Catalog entry numbers.  This is the VIRGO record for the overall collection of microprint in Ivy Stacks.  You need to determine which MoCat Year and Number you need, and then search for it in the items on this record. 
For Instance - Readex microprint 1976:no.4703-6503

For these early "Translations from ...." series it's necessary to look an individual title, for example, "Changes in Matrimony Requirements" (Trns Latin America), up in one of the indexes listed below. 

Then look up  the resulting JPRS number (44038) in the  Index to Readex Microprint Edition of JPRS Reports.... (PREX 7.13:) - to find Monthly Catalog entry number.

 

Additional JPRS Indexes Call Number Years Notes
Bibliography -- Index: China and Asia; Exclusive of Near East PREX 7.13: 1962-1970  
Bibliography -- Index: East Europe PREX 7.13: 1962-1970  
Bibliography -- Index: International Developments PREX 7.13: 1962-1970  
Bibliography -- Index: Soviet Union PREX 7.13: 1962-1970  
Consolidated Translation Survey

PREX 3.10/2:

 1958-1970 Ivy Stacks
International communist Developments, 1957-1961, ed. by Theodore Kyriak PREX 7.13: 1957-1961  
Sci/Tech Quarterly Index

Z7403 .S27

 1970-1972 Ivy Stacks
Contemporary China, ed. by R Sorich

Z3108 .A5 S6 1961

 1957-1960 Law Library
Technical Translations

Z7401 .T712

 1959-1967 Ivy Stacks
Translations Register -- Index

Z7403 .T7

 1967- Ivy Stacks
Transdex: Bibliography and Index to United States Joint Publications Research Service PREX 7.10:Transdex

1970-1996

  

 
Catalog Cards in Book form for United States Joint Publications Research Service Translations PREX 7.13: 1957-1970  
Index to Readex Microprint Edition of JPRS Reports https://dds.crl.edu/crldelivery/21657 (Also print: PREX 7.13:) 1958-1976  

 

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