Library: Primary Sources: Finding Primary Sources

Examples of Primary Sources

advertisements
artifacts (clothing, currency, furniture, jewelry, musical instruments, pottery, textiles, weapons, etc.)
autobiographies
buildings/architectural landmarks
census records
charters
charts/graphs
correspondence
diaries/journals
dissertations
documentary film/video
drawings/cartoons
edicts
fiction/novels
government documents (official text of laws, investigative reports, legislative hearings, etc.)
immigration records
inscriptions
interviews
ledgers/financial documents
legal documents/court records
letters
maps
manuscripts
memoirs
music scores
news film footage
newspaper reports (firsthand)
official records
oral histories
paintings
pamphlets
personal narratives
photographs
plays
poetry
religious texts
research data
sheet music
shipsʻ logs
sound recordings (music or spoken word)
speeches
tablets

1. Find secondary sources first.

Review encyclopedia entries on your topic to find useful keywords, mentions of names, references to primary sources, images, etc.
Use the Library Catalog to find books and articles on your topic.

2. Use secondary sources to locate primary sources.

Do your secondary sources contain any primary source materials?
Are there clues in your secondary sources about primary sources that exist on your topic, such as the titles of documents?
Do the reference lists (bibliographies) from your secondary sources contain information on primary source materials?

3. Search the library catalog for primary sources.

Search for keywords that describe your topic plus one of the words from the list of primary source subject headings and source times from the list on this page. For example, try Abraham Lincoln" \correspondence.

4. Google it.

Try a Google search using your topic plus one of the words on the primary source examples list on this page. For example, try a search for: Mahatma Gandhi letters.

5. Search individual repositories of primary source materials. There are some listed on this page. A librarian can help you find others.

Digital Collections from the Library of Congress
"Written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience".
Asia for Educators - Primary Source Documents with Questions
Excerpts of primary source documents. Site is geared toward educators but is an excellent starting place for students seeking primary source materials related to Asian history.
Euratlas Historical Maps: History of Europe
Maps, photos, and more.
EuroDocs: Online Sources for European History
A rich collection of artifacts from BYU.
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
This site links to online historic documents grouped into virtual sourcebooks on Ancient, Medieval, and Modern periods, with other sourcebooks focused on Byzantine studies, Africa, East Asia, Global, Indian, Islamic, Jewish, Lesbian & Gay, Science, and Women.
New York Public Library Digital Collections
"Over 800,000 images digitized from the New York Public Library's collections, including historical maps, vintage posters, photographs, and more."
Primary Source Sets
Primary Source information on a wide variety of topics from the Library of Congress.
The National Archvies (USA)
Primary sources of America's founding documents, government records, genealogical records, photographs, and more.
Repositories of Primary Sources
A directory of online collections of primary source materials.

Papakilo Database
Contains nūpepa (Hawaiian language newspapers), mahele records (Kingdom land deeds and testimony), and more.
Hawaiʻi State Archives Digital Collections
Contains government records, manuscript collections, photographs, and more.
Hawaiian Mission Houses Digital Collections
Collections of Hawaiʻi's history from 1820-1940. Contains facsimile copies of manuscript collections, photography, quilts, and more.
Center for Oral History Database (UHM)
Oral histories are often overlooked, but they are rich resources.