Traditional  –

PressReader is an online resource that houses thousands of newspaper publications from all over the world. The platform allows readers to read current and past issues of publications in several languages. The website is owned by the organization PressReader Inc. that has offices and partnerships all over the world. It partners with reputable publishers in nearly every country in the world. The website has publications in numerous languages, mostly in the native language to where the newspaper was published. One strength of the website is the ability to filter and choose from several different publications. This provides a wide perspective of information that the user can funnel through. One weakness may be the magnitude of what is available. With over 7,000 newspaper issues, the user could get lost in the large variety of content.

Access PressReader here: https://www-pressreader-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/catalog?vf=951

I chose to use PressReader because it offers a wide range of information all in one place. When funneling to Italy, there are a large number of newspapers and magazines that are all available in Italian. This is a great source for anyone who is interested in seeing what media is printed in Italy or another country. The wide access to original publication is unique and a good way to get a wide scope of information.

International Newsstream is a website that provides access to news articles and other content from international newspapers, newswires, and other news sources. The website is updated daily and covers a wide range of topics including technology, business, geography, politics, sports, and much more. This source is credible as it compiles information maintained and updated daily by ProQuest. They ensure the content is of high quality and meets certain standards for accuracy and reliability. They also account for diverse perspectives as they use large newspapers and smaller local and regional newspapers. Another strength is the level to which you can filter the content. It makes it easy to funnel down a world of knowledge to a specific search.

Access International Newsstream here: https://www.proquest.com/internationalnews1/results/2E6063A65E184C22PQ/1?accountid=9783

I chose this source because it offers an easy way to find credible and accurate information. Sourced from all over the world, this website houses an endless amount of information that is trustworthy and respectable. For anyone looking to learn about a specific topic, this website is a great place to get access to so many digital periodicals.

The Local is an Italian newspaper that provides news and essential information about Italy. The newspaper covers topics ranging from breaking news, politics, pop culture, and health. Founded in 2004, The Local now covers the news in nine countries and releases new issues daily. Because the authors of the articles are all Italy-based, I feel as though this source is credible and trustworthy. While the main editions are published in Italian, there is a translate feature that automatically translates the articles to English. This newspaper source is great for anyone that is looking to learn about current events in Italy or regarding Italy. A strength of this source includes the diverse stories offered in the newspaper as well as the diverse team of authors writing stories.

Access The Local here: https://www.thelocal.it/

I chose this source because it is a great way to learn about what is going on in Italy, by Italians. Because this newspaper is published directly in the country, it is a trustworthy way to get information and learn more about the happenings of Italy. Unlike some of the generic information, this source offers specific details like health, economics, and political events that are presently affecting Italians.

Vogue Italia is the Italian edition of Vogue Magazine. Considered the top fashion magazine in the world, Vogue Italia has been in circulation since 1964 and is viewed highly for all things fashion and trends. The magazine is owned by Condé Nast International and new editions are published monthly. The magazine was first distributed via print media but now caters to online editions as well. Published in Italy, there are online versions available in translation to mostly any language, making it available to a majority of the world. This source is great for people looking to research the culture of Italy and learn more about the fashion industry, which is so important to the Italian people. Italians also find value in this media as it displays the current trends and designs in the country. It is a pop culture resource so Vogue would not be the best place to find information about news or factual based information.

Access Vogue Italia here: https://www.vogue.it/

I chose this source because it displays the culture side of Italy. Because fashion is so important in the country, I wanted to include a source that people could experience how the people in Italy dress, shop, and spend their time. While this source is not aimed for factual research, it is still valuable as it gives insight into the everyday lives of pop culture media and fashion based directly in Italy.

New Media –

Global Voices is a website that compiles blogs published all over the world that focuses on global issues. Uploaded by a primarily volunteer community of writers, blogs are uploaded from all over the world in a number of languages covering numerous issues. The website’s purpose is to report, translate, defend, and empower their readers. Because this is a versatile source, articles are published in countries all over the world, in different languages, and several perspectives. Through Global Voices, users can find information on current events, interesting stories, and media on an expansive list of countries. This source is updated daily as authors are constantly publishing new blogs to educate the public. Some strengths of the source include the number of posts for each country and number of countries covered on the website. Some weaknesses of Global Voices include the lack of some countries from the website.

Access Global Voices here: https://globalvoices.org/-/world/western-europe/italy/

I chose Global Voices because it offers a unique perspective to the reader. Having a large number of blogs published by authors all over the world is different from most websites. Where other sources lack authenticity and a range of coverage, Global Voices is perfect for anyone who is looking for information or learning more about different countries.

Life in Italy is a website about Italy and Italian culture, food, travel, and more. With an emphasis on current events in Italy, the website features articles about all things related to Italian lifestyle. Paolo Nascimbeni, the founder, is originally from Rome. After wanting to share his passion and knowledge of the country, he established this website to offer English-speaking people a way to learn and enjoy the rich culture of Italy. Published primarily in English, this website is great for people wanting to read and learn about Italy from Italians. The website is updated daily and is a credible source for information being written by trustworthy authors. One strength of this website is the diverse information available to its readers. Because the target of the website it to offer translated media, it does a great job of being informative, but also entertaining.

Access Life in Italy here: https://lifeinitaly.com/

I chose this source because it is a fun and different way to learn about Italy from Italians. While other media sources lose information in translation, this website is written primarily in English for the purpose of educating outsiders. I like how the website gives a full encompassing view into Italian lifestyle by offering articles on many different topics. It is a great resource for anyone who is interested in learning about the country before traveling there.

Ciao Amalfi is a blog published by a woman named Laura who moved from America to the Amalfi Coast in Italy nearly 13 years ago. She utilizes her blog to demonstrate her talents as a writer, art historian, and photographer. After visiting Italy 14 years ago, she was drawn back to live full time and use the blog to document her experience and learnings. She is now a dual American and Italian citizen which makes her a trustworthy source to compare the lifestyle of Americans and Italians. This new media source is great for either Italians or Americans to learn more about the differences in lifestyles. The website appears to be updated weekly and features new posts about geography, food, culture, and other current events affecting the author’s life.

Access Ciao Amalfi here: http://www.ciaoamalfi.com/

I chose this source because it is a very different way to learn about Italy. Given from the perspective of an American who decided to move to Italy by their own choice, I think this blog offers a unique perspective and could be valuable for people looking to learn more about what it takes to live as an outsider inside another country. Offered in English, it gives no barrier to understanding and learning directly from a primary source’s experience. It also provides content for Italians to learn and understand what outsiders think or view their lifestyle and how they adapt. 

Social Media –

@ItalyMFA Twitter Page –

The Italian government’s Twitter page is a valuable source of information. This social media page updated regularly by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains timely news posts relating to current issues or happenings related to Italy. The Twitter page is maintained by the government and is available in either English (with ‘_int’ addendum) or in Italian. Either way, the information is synchronized and accounts for a government perspective on Italian affairs. From news posts, foreign relations, and government announcements, the Twitter page is a strong source for official information. One weakness with the Twitter page is that it is a government website so there will only be one perspective captured as all information is coming directly from the administration.

Access the ItalyMFA twitter in either language here: https://twitter.com/ItalyMFA_int or https://twitter.com/ItalyMFA

I chose this source because the timeliness and direct information straight from the government offers an official position on news media. While it may not be the most diverse perspective, I think it is important to have the social media source be related to the government. In the current society we are in, more people are getting news from social media so for those looking for the most up to date and relevant issues related to Italy, this source would be great for just that.

@Doors of Italy is an Instagram account that features different images of doors around Italy. Created by the photographer Ryan Neevan, the Instagram page was started to show a more simple, yet beautiful side to Italian architecture. Now featuring over 1,300 posts, this social media page is updated sporadically with no schedule or pattern. While there is no strong learning or factual information present on this page, it offers a different way for people to experience Italy in a less intense way. For those who value the more artistic side of Italian culture from viewing images all over the country, this source would be a great way to experience Italy.

Access Doors of Italy here: https://www.instagram.com/doorsofitaly/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0bc5ac0a-f32d-4801-aefa-0a436853a7a3

I chose this source because it is a very different way to learn about Italy and directly see photos from the country. While people may not be learning a lot of valuable information from this source, it still adds value for people who are looking to gain real experience with the country. It also transcends language as there is no language needed to view these images and process the beauty of each post. I think there is great strength in this source from the others as it appeals to people looking to experience raw art and architecture.

@repubblica is a twitter page that posts news in real time from Italy and around the world. The page is maintained by La Repubblica, the largest news company in Italy. The twitter page is updated several times a day as news breaks around the world. The page is completely in Italian, but Twitter offers translations to English. The articles published to the twitter page are written by Italian authors but cover news stories from the entire world. This offers a unique perspective to readers as it reaches a wider audience than just Italians. The strengths of this source include the timeliness and relevancy of the news stories posted.

Access @repubblica twitter here: https://twitter.com/repubblica?lang=en

I chose this source because it is a great way to reach a wide audience quickly. Whereas people will read the newspaper once a day or a few times a week, the twitter page is a new way to access news content in a timely fashion. It also offers people with a quick, brief look into what is happening around the world and in Italy that they might have not else had access to. I imagine the majority of the following base of this twitter page is Italians since that seems to be the primary audience, but I think that anyone can find value and learning from following this account.

Data Sources –

Eurostat.eu is a European data website that houses various datasets to which the user can fully customize. This data source encompasses numerous areas of European data and statistics on every country in Europe. The data is uploaded and maintained by the European Commission which is in partnership with the EU known as the European Statistical System. Their mission is to provide high-quality statistics and data on Europe. This source covers the entire EU and is available in several languages to cover the scope of European users. Users can access a large number of statistics including populations, internet users, and number of people that satisfy numerous specified factors. There is no observed perspective with this data as it is unbiased, statistical data. One strength I observed was the ability to manipulate data sets by introducing factors and filters to narrow search results. A weakness could be the number of filters may lead to a smaller view of the data than just raw data reporting.

Access Eurostat here: https://ec-europa-eu.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/eurostat/web/main/home

I think this source is valuable for anyone looking for statistics for countries in the Europe. While it does not cover countries outside of Europe, it is very adaptable to different countries, comparisons, and filters. For specifically Italy, there is a number of data sets related to people, the economy, and much more that users could download to learn more about the statistics of Italy.

Statista is a leading provider of market and consumer data on over 80,000 topics with millions of users. The website houses more than one million statistical data sets covering a broad 170 industries. This is a great source for people looking for data on any number of topics for so many countries. By utilizing the global search bar, you can easily find data on Italy narrowing it down to specific areas of research. Statista has locations in Germany, London, USA, France, Singapore, Amsterdam, Japan, and more. They are a trustworthy data source for reliable data as they have more than 22,500 renowned sources active on their website. Because it is a data source, there is no observed perspective as it includes very factual data.

Access Statista here: https://www-statista-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/search/?q=Italy&qKat=search&newSearch=true

I chose this source because it is a great way to get reliable data on a number of topics around the world. Every time I have used Statista, I have been able to get datasets that can be displayed graphically and make a lot of sense in addition to my research. For anybody looking to find statistical data on Italy, I would recommend Statista as it utilizes easy to read charts and graphs to display the data which makes it effective for learning. 

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Statistics is a hub of data relating to information and communication technology. Founded in 1865, ITU is maintained by the United Nations to track and compile technological data all over the world. The main mission of ITU is to connect all the world’s people through how they interact over the internet. I think this source is valuable for anyone who is looking to do some research on countries either economically, socially, or technologically. The ability to compare countries’ statistics in real time and learn the differences between them is valuable for research.

Access ITU Statistics here: https://datahub.itu.int/data/?e=ITA

I chose this source because of the flexibility to compare country data and identify notable differences between countries. The ability to view this information in a number of languages is another pro for people around the world looking for data sets. I think that this is definitely a valuable source for people looking to make comparisons and learn about new topics by analyzing data.

Visual/Audio Based –

The World History in Video website is a that provides access to video content on several different areas of world history. The website, maintained by the organization Alexander Street, contains documentaries, lectures, and other educational videos that cover a wide range of topics and historical periods. This is a great source for visual learning as it allows for more engaging and interactive learning. One strength of the website would be the wide perspective it offers. Someone could look up any country or time period and there will be hundreds of videos covering that topic. The site can be filtered to several different languages and show videos in specific languages. One weakness would be the ease of access. Without the OSU partnership, the public would have to pay for the service to be able to browse through the videos. The videos on the website are produced by reputable sources like academic institutions, museums and broadcasters and is updated often.

Access World History in Video here: https://video-alexanderstreet-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/channel/world-history-in-video?q=Italy&sort=relevance

I chose this source because it is a great way to find original documentaries and short videos about the history and related content regarding Italy. From the establishment to war, the website houses hundreds of videos related to Italy and many more countries. This is a great way for someone to learn about Italy or another country as it touches several topics and historical events. Having the flexibility to watch a historical video rather than reading is great for some researchers so the World History in Video site is a great option.

Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries is a virtual encyclopedia of the world’s musical and aural traditions. The website is maintained by the company Alexander Street with the goal of publishing large-scale digital collections of exceptional quality in the humanities and social sciences. The website features the sounds and perspective of several countries all over the world. The sound library gives the user a unique perspective of Italy as it features a new view in terms of sound. The uniqueness of this source is its strength as it offers a different way of absorbing media created by Italians.

Access Smithsonian Global Sound here: https://search-alexanderstreet-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/glmu/search?f%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=creation_place_hierarchy_facet%3AEurope%7CItaly&sort_by=publication_date_sort&sort_order=DESC

I chose this source because it is a very different way of experiencing Italy. I think it is important to bring in art when learning about new countries. Understanding what the normal type of media is created in an area gives researchers a taste of the culture of the country. It is valuable for researchers looking to learn more about Italy because it can show media published in every part of the country.

NAXOS Music Library (NML) is the world’s largest online classical music library. The library features music from over 950 record labels with a focus primarily on classical music, jazz, world, and pop/rock. More specifically, it features over 150 pages of content published about Italy. One strength of this source is its diversity of music and reach over the entirety of Italy. Just from scrolling on the website, there is music published by so many Italian artists from all ends of the country.

Access NAXOS Music Library here: https://osuni-naxosmusiclibrary-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/search?keyword=italy&page=1

I chose this source because if offers another unique perspective of research of a country. Not only reading, but hearing the sounds produced by a country is important to get a wide perspective of learning. Including this as a way to learn about a country allows researchers to get some more perspective of art and culture in a certain place.

Additional –

The CIA World Factbook is a website owned and maintained by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides cohesive information and statistics on countries around the world. The information available ranges from geography, demographics, government, economy, military, and other relevant data. It is available in English and was updated last on March 1, 2023, so the information is relevant and up to date. One strength of this resource would be the ability to view almost any country in the world and have pages of useful facts that are credible. One weakness would be perspective, but it is difficult to incorporate perspective on factual information. This is a great source for learning about a specific country and how it operates.

Access CIA World Factbook here: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/italy/

I chose this source for the purpose of finding solid facts on Italy. I think the CIA world factbook is a great way to do research on the more textbook side of Italy. Whether it be government history, economic information, or details about geography, the world factbook has a wide coverage. For anyone learning about the basics of Italian history or facts, this is the perfect source.

Next Stop Italy is a travel website located in Turin, Italy. Their mission is to share their love of Italy with the world. This new-media website gives researchers who are not physically in Italy the opportunity to see the sights of the country in a virtual format. The website is updated often by two individuals who have a true passion for travel. One strength is that they offer tours of several locations from high tourism to specific museums and private trips.

Access Next Stop Italy here: https://nextstop-italy.com/virtual-tours/

I chose this source because it is a great way to see Italy without having to be there. Rather than looking up pictures of Italy, this source could be used to show people Italy through a new form of media. Scheduling a virtual tour or even viewing one that was already done is a unique way to view the country. One thing I find important about this form of media is how the researcher can see so many different views of Italy as it offers a wide range of tours. Anyone looking to see Italy without the means of actually travelling there would definitely find value from this source.

Corriere Della Sera is one of the most popular and oldest newspapers in Italy. The paper was started in 1876 and is currently headquartered and published in the city of Milan. Owned by RCS MediaGroup, Corriere della Sera has become one of the most widely read newspaper in Italy with new editions daily. Available in authentic Italian online, the paper features breaking news, politics, sports, and much more. One strength about this source is the ability to filter stories to region or city. This really captures multiple perspectives and gives the researcher a broad scope of Italy.

Access Corriere Della Sera here: https://www.corriere.it/

I chose this source because as one of the oldest and most read newspapers in the country, it has built a reputation of being credible and informative. Being housed directly in the heart of Italy, the news stories cover a majority of the country’s cities and regions. It is originally published in Italian but have translations to many languages making it very easy to adapt to different researchers. Anyone looking for current information whether it be news or entertainment cannot go wrong by utilizing this source.