Slides from primary resources document

1. RESEARCHING PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS

2. INTRODUCING: YOUR COLLEGE ARCHIVIST

3. A FEW TIPS
§ Engage with multiple secondary resources before you
begin your primary resource research
§ Prepare a question or set of questions you are interested
in exploring
§ Call ahead of time and set up a research appointment
§ Be aware of special rules or requirements
§ Start your primary resource research early

4. FINDING THE COLLECTIONS YOU NEED
Locally:
• Columbia Library’s Archive Portal
• NYPL's Find Archival Materials Tool
• NYU's Search Finding Aids
Beyond:
• Archive Finder (ArchivesUSA)
• ArchiveGrid

5. UNDERSTANDING A FINDING AID

6. UNDERSTANDING A FINDING AID - Scope and Content Note

7. UNDERSTANDING A FINDING AID - Subject Headings and History

8. UNDERSTANDING A FINDING AID - Container List

9. COLLECTIONS AND PRIMARY RESOURCES DOCUMENTS IN CLIO
CLIO
Choose Keyword: Boolean and use keywords such as:
• archive?
• correspondence
• diar?
• interview?
• narrative?
• memoir?
• source?
• manuscript?
You can also do a keyword search & limit by "Archival Collection"

10. EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY RESOURCE DOCUMENTS IN DATABASES
• Image and Media: ARTstor
• Periodicals and Journals: Irish Newspaper Archive
• Oral Histories and Interviews: Columbia Oral Histories
• Government Documents: Congressional Publications

11. ANALYZING YOUR PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS
• Who – What – Where – Why – When?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Creator’s perspective, bias, or prejudice?
• Information about the time period in which document was
created?
• What does the document not tell you?