Primary Sources:
A Pathfinder and Internet Guide

 

 




 

 A primary source is a record created during a time period or historical event, or afterwards by someone who was able to observe it firsthand.  Common examples of primary sources include letters, journals, photographs, speeches, interviews, newspaper articles, audio or visual recordings, memoirs, and even works of art or other objects produced during the time period.  With the proliferation of digitized records that are now available on the Internet, in addition to the information available in the library, there is a multitude of resources available to anyone who needs to do primary source research.   This is a guide only to general resources.  For information on a specific era or event, check with a reference librarian.

Primary Sources on the Web:

There are many compilations and archives of digitized primary source material on the web.  It should be noted that these are not generally considered to be "Internet Sources" because they are simply copies of a physical document, rather than something that was created exclusively on the Internet.

Documents:

Avalon Project:  http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp
Library Of Congress--American Memory:  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
PA's Past: https://secureapps.libraries.psu.edu/digitalbookshelf/
University of Michigan--Making of America:  http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moagrp/
Historical Newspapers:  http://historynews.chadwyck.com/home/home.cgi?source=config2.cfg

World Digital Library International Primary Sources

Photographs:

NY Public Library Digital Library: http://digital.nypl.org/index.asp
Library of Congress:  http://memory.loc.gov/
Heritage Image Partnership:  http://www.heritage-images.com/
AP Images: Available through POWER Library

Another excellent resource is the listing of repositories of primary sources found at http://www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Other.Repositories.html which contains over 5000 primary source collection websites, broken down by geographical area.  Not every site has digital copies of every primary source in its collection.  Ask a reference librarian if you find a resource in the Pennsylvania area you would like to see is available for interlibrary loan. 

Primary Sources in the Library

The library itself houses a number of primary sources on a wide range of topics.  The Biography section located on the 2nd floor holds a number of works that could be considered primary sources, including autobiographies.  The reference collection also contains a number of primary resources, most notably:

American Decades:  A multi-volume collection of primary sources on American history, sorted by date.  Call Number:  973.9 in the reference collection.

Annals of America:  Organized by time period, this is an in-depth collection of American primary sources, a multi-volume set with a separate index.  Call Number:  973.082 in the reference collection.

Library of Original Sources:  A multi volume set that includes a collection of documents on world history from Ancient Egypt through the 19th and early 20th centuries. Call Number 903.1 in the reference collection.

The Allentown Public Library also houses a repository of primary sources concerning the Lehigh Valley in the Local History Room.  Ask at the reference desk to access these materials on people, places, and events from the Valley's history.