You may find primary sources in their original format--often in an archive--or reproduced in a variety of ways: published in books, on microfilm, or digitized in a searchable database.
We often associate primary sources with archives, and secondary sources with libraries, but you can find primary sources in both places. However, it's important to note that these institutions organize information and collections differently.
In archives, materials are usually organized by their origin, more specifically, by who collected them before they entered the archives.
If you donate your photographs, emails, and research notes to Special Collections & Archives at Monroe Library, they will be kept together and likely named for you, the original collector of the materials. They will not be separated into different collections by type or topic.
In Libraries, materials are usually organized by format and subject. Books are shelved together, but sorted by topic. Other information types are also stored together by format, like microfilms, maps, and DVDs, and may be organized by topic or alphabetically by title.
If you donate your books to a library, they will not be kept together as your collection. They will be sorted by topic and shelved accordingly.
Primary sources are typically organized according to who created them.
When looking for primary sources, think about who would have documented the people, places, and events that interest you, keeping in mind that those documents might be written by participants, outside observers, or even opponents of your subject matter. This guide presents possible primary source materials first by source type, such as one person's papers (letters received from friends and colleagues, professional work, budgets), newspapers, or documents created by government agencies.
Our research projects might use a wide range of source types, but perhaps are limited to a particular place and time. Thus, this guide also offers further suggestions organized by geographic region.
With primary sources, the possibilities are endless.
This research guide is not a comprehensive list of primary source collections that might be relevant to your topic. Historians are constantly innovating in the way they use traditional sources and finding creative ways to work with new ones.
You are not alone. Ask an expert!
Research with primary sources is a collaborative effort. Experts in your field will know how resources have been used by other historians, and can help you to think creatively about what types of sources to use. Librarians and archivists are skilled at talking through your research project and connecting you to materials in their collections and beyond. And don't forget to consult the bibliographies and citations of other historians to get ideas on what sources to use (and where to find them).