Research Guides: History: Primary Resources & Digital Archives

What is a Primary Source?

Primary sources are materials that were created at the time of the event.

Examples Include:

Artifacts
Autobiographies
Business Records
Diaries and Journals
Drawings and Photographs
Films, Videotapes
Interviews, Oral Histories, and Speeches
Medical Records
Military Records
Newspapers
personal narratives
letters/ correspondences

Where to find Primary Sources

Published in Book Collections
Library & National Archives
- Many libraries and organizations have digitized their collections and make them freely available on the web
Online Academic Databases
Digitized Image Databases
Microfilm

*Remember that primary and secondary sources are relative to your topic

For example:

Source: A TV series about the great depression

Secondary Source for a research question on labor in the great depression

Primary source for a research question on media portrayals of poverty

General Primary Source Archives

Library of Congress Digital Collection
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The Library is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.

The Library preserves and provides access to a rich, diverse and enduring source of knowledge to inform, inspire and engage you in your intellectual and creative endeavors. Whether you are new to the Library of Congress or an experienced researcher, we have a world-class staff ready to assist you online and in person.
Library of Congress Finding Aids
Library of Congress archive search index for finding aids
National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States federal government.
Hathi Trust Digital Library
HathiTrust Digital Library is a digital preservation repository and highly functional access platform. HathiTrust provides long-term preservation and access services to digitized content from a variety of sources, including Google, the Internet Archive, Microsoft, and in-house member institution initiatives. Items in the public domain are in full-view for everyone and items held in copyright are searchable.
Sounds Archive
We’ve put together an assortment of recordings from the British Library sound archive, the nation's free sound library and one of the largest collections of sound recordings in the world.
Digital Public Library of America
Highlights of collections from libraries, archives and museums across the United States, organized into easy-to-navigate topics.
Listen Notes
Notes search engine to find episodes of podcasts featuring a variety,
interviews and conversation historians and researchers

Finding Archives

Archive Types

Paper
Human/ living
Experimental
Electronic
Visual
Audio
Memory

Archive Grid
is a freely available database of AM (American archival & manuscript) collections world-wide. Plus, thousands of finding aids contributed independently by libraries and archives.
SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context)
is a free, online resource that helps users discover biographical and historical information about persons, families, and organizations that created or are documented in historical resources (primary source documents) and their connections to one another. Users can locate archival collections and related resources held at cultural heritage institutions around the world.
WorldCat
is an online catalog of materials (books, periodicals, films, recordings, manuscripts, etc.) from libraries and other repositories across the world
Historical Society Directories
Our comprehensive directory of historic and cultural resource organizations provides detailed information for organizations located in each State and Province in the United States and Canada dedicated to the preservation of historic structures and buildings, the protection and care of cultural resources, and the revitalization of downtown districts and the preservation of main street and community.
Library Research Guides & Finding Aids
Google Search: your topic and "subject library guide" or "research guide"
Digital Museum Collections
Example: Smithsonian, virtual tours & exhibits