Google Unveils News Archive Search

Today Google has unveiled a new service called News Archive Search which could become the greatest research tool to ever hit the web. It will allow you to search back through centuries of news source materials such as the Washington Post, Time Magazine, or even the Encyclopedia Britannica, and so forth.

You will be able to narrow your search by date or create your own timeline. Depending on the source, the documents you find may be available for free, through a subscription, or as pay-per-view. All transactions will be carried out directly on the source’s site.

Whether or not this service will eventually be incorporated into its regular web search remains to be seen. It won’t replace your local library but it should be a boon to bloggers, journalists, business and students wanting to do serious research on the web.