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History 200: A Guide to Research: Finding Primary Sources

Primary Sources in the Library

Top Primary Source Databases

Use them to find an article or primary source that has to do with your topic.

Print Resources (you can find these in the library)

Visit the Welcome Desk to take a look at the books on Reserve! You can check these books out and use them in the library for up to 2 hours. To find Reserves books and more, search the catalog below using keywords that relate to your topic. Try a very short phrase or a single word.

   Oliver Wendell Holmes Library Catalog

          

What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is a first-hand account of something.

For History 200, the green bolded sources are the types of primary sources you'll find:

  • Journals/Diaries
  • Works of literature (books or manuscripts)
  • Interviews
  • Documentaries (interviews or original footage within them)
  • News (TV, radio, etc)
  • Autobiographies and memoirs
  • Text messages and emails
  • Letters
  • Social media posts
  • Art and sculpture
  • Architecture and buildings
  • Carved symbols or writing

Primary Sources