LOCATING PRIMARY SOURCES
A GUIDE

I. Definitions


Locating primary sources can be either one of the most fascinating and challenging aspects of a historians craft or the bane of their existence. Understanding some essential differences in types of primary sources, employing varying research strategies, and using different kinds of finding aids will make your discoveries quicker and more meaningful. First, some definitions:

source - a document, person, or object from which information is derived

primary source - the immediate and direct exposure to the artifact (document, person, or object). Primary sources can be either published or unpublished.

secondary source - informative, but not directly exposed to the artifact, that is a review, criticism, or analysis

published source - reproduced, issued and distributed in some form (paper, electronic media, microfilm) and usually held in more than one location

unpublished source - existing in its original form and available in only one location

It is important to understand these distinctions. Published sources are much easier to locate and obtain, from libraries or archives, through normal circulation and interlibrary loan. Unpublished sources are not so easily identified and are almost never available through interlibrary loan and must be used at the archive.


II. Identifying primary sources

While you may or may not know whether the information you seek is published or unpublished, some basic steps to begin your search apply to either. If you are really searching for a specific document, collections of documents, speeches, etc. may be more fruitful than the steps below.

1. Be Specific
Looking for records on immigration may not be specific enough. Are you looking for a certain ethnic group, a specific area, a certain time period. Are you hoping to find just numbers of individuals, do you want health records, do you want census data that will break down by occupation and gender?

• Consider what organizations, government agencies or individuals might have been involved. If you aren't sure or don't have a full picture, go to a specialized encyclopedia.

2. Check Standard Catalogs and Indexes
Some list published sources, some unpublished. At this point the distinction doesn't matter.

• Scan the bibliographies of some secondary sources which may tell you the location of unpublished papers or the existence of a published set. Many biographical encyclopedias and dictionaries also list the location of individuals and organizations papers

• Worldcat - a large database that libraries across the U. S. use to catalog their collections. Accessible from the main Miamilink menu

• Subject Collections: A Guide to Special Book Collections and Subject Emphases . . . King Ref Z 731 .A78

• National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, 1959-1993-. King Ref Z 6620 .U5 N3

• Index of Manuscripts in the British Library. King Ref Z921.B82 A32x

• Library catalogs via the Internet

3. Look for special guides to special collections/archives or for guides that compile lists of collections having a common subject.

•Women's History Sources. King Ref Z 7964 .U49 56

• Guide to Microforms in Print. King Ref Z 1033 .MS S8 G8 1986 1988

• Guide to Archives and Manuscripts in the United States. King Ref CD 3022 .A45

• Guide to the National Archives of the United States. King Ref CD 2023 .U54 1974

• British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom. King Ref CD 1040 .F67 1989

• And So to Bed: A Bibliography of Diaries Published in English. King Ref CT 25 .H385 1987



III. Collections in libraries and Archives: What to expect


• Terminology

document: usually a single item that contains recorded information

records: documents made, received, and maintained by an institution/organization etc. Records are one-of-a-kind, such as the census rolls.

archives: records or documents of a group that have permanent value; also can be used for the administrative unit that cares for them.

personal papers: documents accumulated by an individual.

manuscripts: usually handwritten materials, but the definition changes with technology

• Types of finding aids

1. guides - broad, general, listing of synopsis' of character of a specific collection; kinds of documents it contains. National Union Catalog of Manuscripts and Guide to the National Archives of the United States listed above are examples of guides. Often these are commercially published.

2. inventories and registers - brief listing of records in a particular record group (organizations have) or in personal papers.

3. calendar - a list of every item or document in a collection. Often in chronological order, hence the name calendar.



IV. Writing to an Archive for Information

' Sometimes you must make an educated guess about the holdings of an archive. Always before visiting an archive, write to the archivist, defining your question carefully, stating your intent to visit and asking what material is available and what restrictions (copyright, photocopying, microfilming, acknowledgments, fees) apply. Use the sources below for addresses.

• Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States. King Ref CD 3020 .D49 1988

• Directory of Historical Societies and Agencies in the United States and Canada. King Ref E 172 .A538 1982

• American Library Directory. King Ref Z 731 .A53

• Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers. King Ref Z 731 .A78

• Encyclopedia of Associations. King Ref HS 17 .G334

• World of Learning. King Ref AS 2 .W6

***much of the information for this document is derived from: D'Aniello, Charles A., ed. Teaching Bibliographic Skills in History: A Sourcebook for Historians and Librarians. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993.