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Historical Papers Research Archive

Welcome to our platform for Research and Community Engagement!

The Historical Papers Research Archive is one of the most comprehensive public archives in Southern Africa, with over 3400 collections. We are the official repository of the South African Institute of Race Relations, and the Anglican Church in Southern Africa. Over and above we have in our custody collections which we received from trade unions, political parties, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), women's organisations, church bodies, as well as records of political trials and the personal papers of individuals, many of which have shaped South Africa's past and present.

Our digitisation activities initially have been made possible with generous funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. We have since built a formidable digital resource, based on the archival application  ' AtoM ', an acronym for  Access to Memory.  This platform not only allows for displaying our full collection inventories, but also the digitised collections and collection items, such as  photographs, oral interviews, and other audio and audio-visual records.

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Historical Papers Research Archive – University of the Witwatersrand

Published by admin on January 20, 2021 January 20, 2021

Archive title:, link to archive or database:.

http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/

The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. We are a friendly, vastly used, valued and popular service as well as unique and accessible hub for human rights research serving civil society, scholars and researchers.

Historical Papers is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in Southern Africa. We house over 3300 collections of historical, political and cultural importance, encompass the mid 17th Century to the Present.

Our primary aim is to serve the broader community as well as the university and to transform archives into accessible centres for research. Included are the records of many human rights NGOs, trade unions, labour federations, political parties, women’s organisations, churches and church bodies, and the papers of human rights activists. We are also home to a huge volume of political trials, photographs, press clippings, oral interviews, and material collected by several research institutions and individual researchers.

– taken from the Historical Papers Research Archive – University of the Witwatersrand website

Time Period:

1600-present

Content Type(s):

Photos, prints and drawings; Film; Interviews; Audio recordings; Periodicals, Manuscripts; Government and official documents; Personal correspondence

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Established in 1966, The Historical Papers research archive is situated in the William Cullen Library.   It is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in Southern Africa. It provides for unique archival materials on human rights esearch. It is open to the civil society, scholars and researchers . Some of the finding aids are :

  • Historical Papers Guide
  • Anglican Church Guide
  • Guide to Photographs
  • Poster inventory
  • Guide to digital Audio & Audio-Visual

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The video of this year's lecture -- 'Writing histories of 2020' -- held on 29 July, is now available. With panellists Professors Jo Fox, Claire Langhamer, Kevin Siena and Richard Vinen who discuss historians' responses to COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter.

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Latest posts on x, on history blog, victoria county history smartphone app: retirement, paternosters and beads: finding devotional objects in the london customs accounts, uncovering hidden labour in the victoria county history (vch) archive  , building a non-state archive, unlocking the records of london’s medieval foreign trade, the annual pollard prize, about the prize.

The Pollard Prize is awarded annually for the best paper presented at an Institute of Historical Research seminar by a postgraduate student or by a researcher within one year of completing the PhD. The prize is supported by Oxford University Press.

Find out more about the prize and eligibility requirements on the IHR website .

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Congratulations to Merve Fejzula for winning the Annual Pollard Prize for 2021 with their paper 'Toward a History of Intellectual Labor: Gender, Negritude, and the Black Public Sphere.' Congratulations also to runner up Lucy Clarke  for their paper '"I say I must for I am the King’s shrieve": magistrates invoking the monarch’s name in 1 Henry VI (1592) and The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon (1598)'.

Both papers will be published in  Historical Research  in due course.

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This guide is an introduction to selected resources available for historical research.  It covers both primary sources (such as diaries, letters, newspaper articles, photographs, government documents and first-hand accounts) and secondary materials (such as books and articles written by historians and devoted to the analysis and interpretation of historical events and evidence).

"Research in history involves developing an understanding of the past through the examination and interpretation of evidence. Evidence may exist in the form of texts, physical remains of historic sites, recorded data, pictures, maps, artifacts, and so on. The historian’s job is to find evidence, analyze its content and biases, corroborate it with further evidence, and use that evidence to develop an interpretation of past events that holds some significance for the present.

Historians use libraries to

  • locate primary sources (first-hand information such as diaries, letters, and original documents) for evidence
  • find secondary sources (historians’ interpretations and analyses of historical evidence)
  • verify factual material as inconsistencies arise"

( Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age, Fifth Edition, by Diana Hacker and Barbara Fister, Bedford/St. Martin, 2010)

This guide is meant to help you work through these steps.

Other helpful guides

This is a list of other historical research guides you may find helpful:

  • Learning Historical Research Learning to Do Historical Research: A Primer for Environmental Historians and Others by William Cronon and his students, University of Wisconsin A website designed as a basic introduction to historical research for anyone and everyone who is interested in exploring the past.
  • Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students by Patrick Rael, Bowdoin College Guide to all aspects of historical scholarship—from reading a history book to doing primary source research to writing a history paper.
  • Writing Historical Essays: A Guide for Undergraduates Rutgers History Department guide to writing historical essays
  • History Study Guides History study guides created by the Carleton College History Department

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Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research

By Laura Schmidt

Introduction

Archives exist both to preserve historic materials and to make them available for use. This guide addresses the second purpose by outlining the functions and procedures of archives, and is designed both for first-time archives users and scholars who have already conducted research in archives. The content covers:

  • How archives function
  • How to identify appropriate archives for your research
  • How to access historical materials and research at an archives

Repositories and their collecting scopes and practices may differ, but the principles in this guide should assist you in accomplishing your research goals at any archival institution.

Table of Contents

What are archives and how do they differ from libraries.

Libraries in towns (public libraries) or universities (academic libraries) can generally be defined as “collections of books and/or other print or nonprint materials organized and maintained for use.”* Patrons of those libraries can access materials at the library, via the Internet, or by checking them out for home use. Libraries exist to make their collections available to the people they serve.

Archives also exist to make their collections available to people, but differ from libraries in both the types of materials they hold, and the way materials are accessed.

Examples of archival materials include: letters written by Abraham Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, Illinois), Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural drawings (Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York), photographs documenting the construction of the Panama Canal (Transportation History Collection, University of Michigan Special Collections), and video footage from I Love Lucy television episodes (the Paley Center for Media, New York and Los Angeles).

Example: Checking out a book from a library causes it to eventually wear out, and then the library buys a new copy of the same book. Checking out the handwritten diary of a historic figure from an archives would cause the same physical deterioration, but the diary is irreplaceable.

Note that there is a great deal of overlap between archives and libraries. An archives may have library as part of its name, or an archives may be a department within a library.

Example: The Performing Arts Reading Room in the Library of Congress.

*Joan M. Reitz, ODLIS – Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (Libraries Unlimited, 2010), http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_l.aspx .

Types of Archives

There are many varieties of archives, and the types of materials they collect differ as well. Defining your research topic and knowing what sorts of materials you are looking for will help you determine the appropriate institutions to contact. Here is a brief overview of repository types:

Examples: Stanford University Archives, Mount Holyoke College Archives.

Examples: Ford Motor Company Archives, Kraft Foods Archives.

Examples: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the New York State Archives, City of Boston Archives.

Examples: The Wisconsin Historical Society, the National Railway Historical Society, the San Fernando Valley Historical Society.

Examples: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Examples: United Methodist Church Archives, American Jewish Archives.

Examples: Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago, American Philosophical Society Library.

Finding and Evaluating Archives

How do you locate archives that might have materials appropriate for your research? In addition to using online search engines like Google, here are some resources to consult:

Consult bibliographies and works cited sections in books on your topic. Where did the information come from?

Contact other experts in the field. Which repositories did they visit for their research?

Look for websites dedicated to your topic. Do they list any archives?

Talk to a reference librarian at your local library about accessing the WorldCat database, which includes listings for archival materials stored in libraries all over the world.

Check Archive Finder at http://archives.chadwyck.com/home.do . This site contains listings from thousands of American and British archives (requires purchase or subscription).

Check ArchiveGrid at http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/ . This database contains nearly a million collection descriptions from thousands of libraries, archives, and museums.

Check ARCHIVESCANADA.ca at http://www.archivescanada.ca/ . This gateway to archival resources from over eight hundred repositories across Canada contains linked archival repository databases for each province.

Check Archives Wiki at http://archiveswiki.historians.org/index.php/Main_Page . Sponsored by the American Historical Association, this page links to several archives from around the world and provides commentary about the archives from a researcher perspective.

Browse the website of the Library of Congress at http://www.loc.gov/index.html . The Library of Congress is America’s national library, and the world’s largest.

Visit the website of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at http://www.archives.gov/ . NARA oversees the preservation of United States federal government materials. There are two additional resources that can be accessed through NARA:

AAD (Access to Archival Databases) at http://aad.archives.gov/aad/ is a search engine for some of NARA's holdings of electronic records.

ARC (The Archival Research Catalog) at http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/ is an online catalog of NARA's nationwide holdings in the Washington, DC area, regional archives, and presidential libraries.

Search the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) at http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/ . NUCMC provides descriptions of manuscript and archival collections from a wide variety of American repositories. The information produced by NUCMC is shared with the WorldCat database (mentioned above).

Explore the Smithsonian Institution Archives at http://siarchives.si.edu/ . The Smithsonian Institution Archives is the record keeper of the Smithsonian—collecting, preserving, and making available the official records of the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, and the National Zoo.

The next step is determining the extent of materials that suit your research needs in an individual archives. Since every repository is different (by size, funding, technological advancement, hours, collecting areas, regulations, etc.), even experienced researchers must familiarize themselves with how a given repository describes its holdings. Utilizing the tools listed below will help ensure a thorough evaluation of an archives:

Websites : Check the website of the archives you are evaluating, which will often list the repository’s main collection strengths and the topics the materials address. Monitor websites for updates such as new collection descriptions and the addition of digital resources.

Catalogs and Databases : Determine whether the archives you are evaluating has a link on its website to catalogs or databases (similar to those in a library) allowing you to search holdings by subject, keyword, title, author, etc. Many catalogs and databases will link you to finding aids (see below) which will provide more detail about what a specific collection holds. If searching catalogs is new for you, ask a reference librarian at a local library for assistance.

Finding Aids : A finding aid (sometimes called inventory, collection listing, register, or calendar) is a text document providing a description of the contents of a collection, just like a table of contents outlines the contents of a book. By using a finding aid, a researcher gets an understanding of a collection in its entirety, sees the relationships between its component parts, and locates the portions of a collection pertinent to research. Finding aids sometimes provide narrative portions describing the background of a collection (how and when it was formed, how the archives acquired it, etc.), and how the archival staff has arranged or ordered the materials in the collection.

If the archives you are evaluating provides direct access to finding aids on its website, browse or search the finding aids for content relating to your research. See the Appendix of this guide for a sample finding aid with annotations.

Examples of a variety of finding aids can be viewed through these finding aid consortia websites:

Arizona Archives Online  http://azarchivesonline.org The Online Archive of California  http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ Archives West  http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org Rocky Mountain Online Archive http://rmoa.unm.edu Texas Archival Resources Online  http://lib.utexas.edu/taro

Note that finding aids come in all kinds of formats. Some archives just have paper copies to use on-site, while others have word processing documents, PDF, or HTML/XML finding aids that can be viewed on their websites. Downloading and print options vary by repository. Some archives may provide digital copies of finding aids upon request.

Digital Collections : Many archives digitize materials (photographs, meeting minutes, reports, letters, audiovisual recordings, etc.) from their collections and make them available on their websites.  Digitization enables the researcher to view materials without visiting the archives in person. Some digital content is full-text searchable, allowing you to enter words pertinent to your research (such as names or terms) into a search box and then search the document to see whether instances of those words appear. Examine the repository website, catalogs, databases, and finding aids to see whether links to digital collections exist. However, be aware that digital collections often reflect just a fraction of the total holdings of a repository . There may be nondigitized materials at the same institution that are also pertinent to your research. Search holdings listings carefully and ask the archival staff for assistance in accessing nondigitized content.

Note that when searching digital collections online it can sometimes be unclear whether the items you are viewing represent a complete collection or are part of a larger collection. Try to determine the highest collection level for the most complete overview of related items.

Examples of digitized collections may be viewed on the Minnesota Digital Library website at http://www.mndigital.org/reflections/ .

Archival Staff: One of the most important ways to evaluate the holdings of an archives is contacting an archival professional who oversees the collections. Archival staff can point you toward resources you may have overlooked. Job titles for such staff positions include archivist, librarian, reference archivist, reference librarian, curator, and records manager. After you have examined the catalogs, finding aids, and website of an archives, call or email the repository to confirm your findings and conclusions. If you find specific materials that seem particularly important during your search, write down the titles, call numbers, or other unique methods of identification from those materials and share them with the staff. Inquire whether you should set up an appointment time to visit and view the materials.

Example: “I am doing a research project involving [describe the purpose, background, and context of your project]. I have already viewed the following [finding aids, catalogs, etc.] on your website, and thought that these specific resources would be useful for my research: [List finding aid or collection titles, book titles, etc. that you have found. Be as specific as possible.] Do you have any recommendations of other relevant materials in your collections? May I visit your repository next Wednesday afternoon to view these items?”

In the case of an archives that does not list collections on its website (or does not have a website), contacting the staff is the only way to ascertain its holdings. Inform the staff of your research project and intent, ask them to clarify what materials are held at the repository, and ask how materials are accessed by researchers. If you are not getting the help you need from one staff member, try another one at the same institution.

Requesting Materials Remotely

Once you have identified materials that will aid your research, the question then becomes how to access them. Policies regarding access vary among archives, but here are some questions to ask yourself, or the archival staff, to determine whether you can obtain access to materials without visiting the archives in person:

Are the materials you want to see available through interlibrary loan , meaning that the archives would send them to a library near you where you could view or borrow them? Some archives do lend out select materials (such as printed materials or microfilm), but rarely loan primary or original documents.

Are the materials you want available through libraries other than the repository at which you found them? Especially in the case of published and printed materials, other libraries might own the same materials and allow them to be loaned. The WorldCat database (mentioned in the “ Finding and Evaluating Archives ” section of this guide) is an excellent resource when looking for alternate lending libraries.

Will the archives provide scans or photocopies of the materials you wish to consult? What are the fees for those services? Are there limits on the amount of material that can be requested? Look for policies on photocopying and digital reproduction on the repository’s website, or contact a staff member and inquire.

Will the archives allow a research assistant to access materials on your behalf? Some archives may have recommended assistants or research services available to patrons unable to visit the archives in person. If not, hiring someone to help with your research can be a great option for remote access. Consider hiring a local graduate student or ask a friend living near the repository.

Do you have a simple question that can be answered by having the archival staff view the materials on your behalf? Archivists routinely answer reference questions for researchers, so if the information you need can be retrieved in a short amount of time, there is a good chance they can relay it to you without having you come in person.

Planning to Visit an Archives

If you cannot view the materials you want via the repository’s website or through the above-mentioned methods, you will need to visit the archives in person. Whether you are traveling a long distance to visit the archives or visiting a local one, it is always a good idea to plan ahead for your visit. Here are some arrangements to consider:

Inform the archival staff of the date(s) that you intend to visit and the materials you would like to see. The staff can notify you of any special circumstances where either the facility or the materials are unavailable. Many archives store materials in off-site facilities, typically due to space constraints. If the materials you are requesting are stored off-site, they may take several hours or days to retrieve. Alerting the staff to your visit and the materials you want to see may enable you to access those materials upon your arrival instead of having to wait for them.

Confirm the repository’s scheduled visiting hours . Are there any special closings on the dates you intend to visit? If the hours are too limited to accommodate your schedule, can any alternative arrangements be made? Many repositories lack the staffing and funding required for having extensive hours, but some may offer options to meet researcher needs. If a repository has weekend and evening hours, professional archival staff may not be present at those times. This may limit the services available (such as photocopying, material retrieval, etc.), so ask if any services are limited during those hours. Additionally, ask whether there are any entrance fees to conduct research there.

Examine the available options for accommodations, food, and transportation . The archives may have special arrangements that researchers can utilize. Inquire about parking near the repository if you are bringing a vehicle with you.

Check to see whether there are any limits on the amount of materials you may request or specific request times . Some archives may allow you to have multiple boxes of materials at a time; others only a single box, book, or folder at a time. The amount of materials you may access could impact your work flow and time spent at the archives, so it is best to inquire ahead about material request limits. The times when material requests may be placed can also vary by repository.

Review guidelines for using materials at the archives. Look for these to be posted on the repository website, or ask a staff member. Typical repository guidelines will be explained in more detail in the next section, but guidelines between archives will vary.

Examine the reproduction policies of the archives. Regulations and fees for requesting photocopies, scans, digital photography, microfilming, and reproductions of photos and audio-visual materials vary among archives.

Ascertain whether the archives offers Internet access and accommodates personal laptop computers , and clarify the Internet access procedures. If Internet access is not available, determine the nearest location where researchers may access the web.

Ask whether any materials in the collection circulate or are loaned out . Are there other libraries nearby that offer guest library accounts? Sometimes a local library will have resources to aid your research that are available for loan or accessible when the archives is closed.

Inquire whether any opportunities for research grants or funding are offered by the archives. Extensive research projects may require spending a large amount of time at one or several archives. Some repositories (or related organizations or academic institutions) may offer financial assistance to researchers.

Schedule some additional time for the unexpected . Discoveries and new questions unearthed during research may lead you down different avenues than you had originally anticipated. Certain tasks—like deciphering hard-to-read handwritten documents or researching primary materials—may take more time. Also, consider the option of a return visit to the archives in case you need to verify information, check additional materials, or pursue something you had not thought of earlier.

Typical Usage Guidelines in Archival Repositories

Researchers may be surprised initially at how different it is to use materials in an archives versus a public or academic library. Archives have access guidelines designed both to help preserve materials and protect them from theft, thus ensuring they will remain available for future researchers. This section will list some typical usage guidelines found at archives and the reasons behind them. Guidelines will differ between repositories, so always check what guidelines an archives has in place.

Registry and personal identification: Many archives ask researchers to fill out an application, registry card, online form, or acquire a researcher card before they begin using materials. The forms typically include name, address, institutional affiliation, materials to be used, and a description of the research project. Photo IDs may also be requested. Such registration practices familiarize the archival staff with the researchers to better serve their research needs and interests, and may also be used to aid a criminal investigation in the event that theft is discovered. Some archives also require a note of recommendation or special permissions before admitting researchers.

Removal of coats and bags: Another method used to discourage theft is requiring that researchers remove bulky outer clothing and store purses, bags, binders, and laptop cases outside of the research area. Many archives have lockers or other monitored areas that researchers can use to store personal possessions. If the only storage option is a nonsecure environment, such as a public coat rack, be sure to remove valuable items like keys and wallets from bags and pockets.

No food, drink, or gum: This guideline is designed to help preserve the collections. Spills can irreparably damage documents or require costly repairs by a conservator. The presence of food may also attract insects or rodents that infest archival materials.

Use of pencil only: This is a preservation practice in case accidental marks are made on archival materials; pencil can be erased while pen marks cannot.

Request forms: Forms are used in a variety of situations, from “call slips” that specify the boxes or books a researcher would like to see, to forms requesting reproductions (such as photocopies). Some forms have very practical uses, like verifying that the correct materials are retrieved, calculating fees, or keeping track of usage for statistical and preservation purposes. By recording exactly which materials were used and by whom, forms can also serve as a theft deterrent. Finally, forms can be useful in notifying the researcher of any legal requirements to take into consideration for how materials are used. Example: Photocopies of unpublished materials provided for a researcher may require additional permissions before they are published. The researcher’s signature on the request form indicates that the signer has read and understood these stipulations, and that the archival repository has done its duty informing researchers that those conditions exist.

Gloves: In most cases clean hands free of lotions or perfumes are sufficient for handling materials. Gloves may be necessary for handling objects or photographs in order to protect the materials from the oils and other residues left by hands. The archives should provide gloves if they are required.

Laptops, cell phones, cameras, recorders, and personal scanners: Many archives allow the use of cameras, laptops, and other personal digital devices, but restrictions may exist. Materials may require permissions before they are reproduced, and the lights used by cameras and scanners can cause text and images on documents to fade if they are overexposed. Hence, guidelines in these areas are for security and preservation purposes, as well as for ensuring that all researchers can work in a relatively quiet, distraction-free environment. Archival staff may also ask to inspect any devices researchers bring with them before entering or leaving the research area.

Careful handling and maintaining order: To ensure that materials are maintained for future use, all archives ask researchers to handle materials carefully. While older materials are generally thought to be more fragile, even new materials need to be handled with care so they remain available to the next generation of researchers. Archives may provide specialized tools like book pillows to help preserve materials during use.

It is also important that materials remain in the order in which the researcher received them so they can be located later and observed in their proper contexts. Misfiling or changes in order can lead the archival staff to assume that items are missing and inconvenience future researchers. Repositories generally provide place markers to help a researcher keep materials in order and to mark items requested for photocopying. An archives may have additional guidelines like removing one folder from a box at a time, leaving reshelving to archival staff, etc.

Notes on Copyright, Restrictions, and Unprocessed Collections

In certain instances, materials may not be accessed, or may have stipulations on use and access. Reasons for limited access to materials generally fall into three categories:

Copyright: Copyright legislation in the United States protects authors of original works in any form, including literary, dramatic, pictorial, musical, etc. The copyright holder has the right to control the use, reproduction, and distribution of those works, as well as the ability to benefit from works monetarily and otherwise. Archives must abide by these laws, which can be complex. In other words even if the archives physically owns a particular document, the copyright of the document and stipulations on how it can be used may be managed by another individual or institution. While amendments to copyright law have been made to help archives and libraries better serve researchers, limitations still exist on what materials repositories can provide.

Archives may require donors to give both property and copyright to the archives upon donation. However, donors can only give an archives copyright to materials that they created, so many documents in collections remain under copyright. It is the responsibility of researchers to find the copyright holder in order to publish or cite from the materials.

Examples: Photocopying an entire copyright-protected book that a researcher can purchase or obtain through other avenues would be a violation of copyright law. Publishing an unpublished poem without consent from the author of the poem, or that author’s estate, would also violate copyright law. Placing a copyrighted photograph on a website without the consent of its copyright holder would be another violation example.

Restrictions: Restrictions come in many varieties, but they generally exist because an archives must serve the interests of some other group or entity and hence cannot allow researchers to access certain materials. Reasons for restrictions include:

The donor who originally gave materials to the archives set a time limit or certain stipulations on how those materials could be used, generally due to privacy concerns or sensitive materials.

Laws or other legislation exist which dictate how certain materials may be used. Examples: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) protects the medical records of individuals. U.S. Census records are restricted for seventy-two years before they become available to researchers to protect personal information. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records.

Materials may be considered classified if they endanger the security of a governmental body (such as the federal or state governments), or if they compromise the health of a profit-based company (such as the design plans for an automobile or the recipe of a commercial food product). Most restricted materials will be made available for researchers to view once the restriction stipulations are no longer deemed necessary or have expired after a certain amount of time has passed. Researchers may, in some cases, gain access to restricted materials if they file a petition or request permission from the appropriate entity.

Unprocessed collections: These collections contain materials that the archival staff has received—but has not yet examined, identified, and organized for researchers to use. The work that archivists do in preparing materials for research use is called “processing.” Here are some reasons materials require processing before use:

Archivists need to identify and describe materials so that they can create the finding aids, database records, and other tools that will help researchers locate materials to aid their research.

Poor storage methods may contribute to the rapid deterioration of materials, so archivists often remove rubber bands, metals, plastics, boxes, folders, and other items that are harming materials, replacing them with archival-standard enclosures (such as acid-free folders) that will support preservation needs.

Contaminants that pose certain health risks to humans, like mold or chemicals, may be present in materials that arrive at archives. Archivists are trained to identify these problems and treat the materials so that they are safe to use.

Overall, the work of processing makes materials safe for researchers to use, and helps protect and preserve those materials for long-term use at an archives. There are repositories that may allow researchers to use unprocessed materials, depending on the individual collection and the policies of the institution. If you know of an unprocessed collection you want to use, talk to the archival staff as far ahead of your visit as possible and inquire about use policies.

Visiting an Archives

Once you have arrived at an archives, here are a few things to consider to maximize your time and efficiency, and to help the research process go smoothly:

Prioritize your requests: What are the materials that would be most helpful for you to view? Make plans to see those first and ask the archival staff for them promptly to ensure you have time to see them. This is especially important for materials you would not be able to get anywhere else. Do you have any questions that need to be addressed before other work can be done? Tackle those first.

Balance your work flow with the policies of the archives: After familiarizing yourself with the policies of an archives, you can better adapt your work flow to those criteria when conducting your research. Examples: Will certain materials take time to retrieve? Do photocopy requests need to be submitted twenty-four hours in advance? Planning to have some materials to view while you wait for others to arrive, and submitting your photocopy request the day before your departure, helps you meet your research goals and honors the policies outlined by the archives.

Ask for assistance: The archival staff is there to help you. If you have questions, ask them. You are your first and best advocate for accomplishing your goals.

Bring appropriate supplies: Have pencils , notepaper , and a pencil sharpener handy. Some archives may provide these things for you, but do not assume they will be provided. Carry a magnifying glass in case you run across difficult handwriting or need to examine some small detail. And since books and papers are better preserved in cooler temperatures, archives can sometimes be on the chilly side. Have a lightweight sweater on hand in case you get cold.

Take thorough citations: While you are working, make sure to take full citations for the materials you are viewing, including any unique identification assigned to the materials by the archives such as the call number, collection title, etc. If you need to go back and reference something in those materials again, or if another researcher is later trying to track your sources from a published work, this will help the archival staff locate the materials.

Point out corrections: Mistakes or omissions sometimes occur in finding aids, websites, and descriptions of materials. If you, the researcher, notice some of these errors or are an expert in a particular area and can fill in some information gaps, point those out to the archival staff. If possible, cite another authoritative source to support your corrections.

Connect with other researchers: Archives are unique places where specialists gather from all over the world. Introduce yourself to other researchers and see if anyone else shares your topic of interest. You never know what future benefits can come from a smile and a greeting. Also, inform the archival staff if you are looking to locate other researchers working on your research topic. They may be able to connect you with people who share your interests. However, note that archivists keep researcher names, projects, and material request records confidential and will not divulge such information without consent.

A Final Word/Additional Resources

With good preparation and an understanding of how archives function, archival research can be very rewarding. Archives have incredible materials waiting for you to explore and archivists ready to help. Good luck with your research—wherever it takes you.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional materials, organized by topic, that may be of interest:

THE ARCHIVAL PROFESSION

The Society of American Archivists Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology, http://www2.archivists.org/glossary . A very thorough resource outlining the terms and definitions used in the archival profession.

“So You Want to be an Archivist: An Overview of the Archival Profession,” http://www2.archivists.org/careers/beanarchivist . Information on what archivists do and a short video on “A Day in the Life of an Archivist.”

Chute, Tamar G., and Ellen D. Swain. “Navigating Ambiguous Waters: Providing Access to Student Records in the University Archives.” American Archivist 67, no. 2 (Fall–Winter 2004): 212–33.

Cox, Dwayne. “The Rise of Confidentiality: State Courts on Access to Public Records during the Mid-twentieth Century.” American Archivist 68, no. 2 (Fall–Winter 2005): 312–22.

Johnson, Catherine A., and Wendy M. Duff. “Chatting Up the Archivist: Social Capital and the Archival Researcher.” American Archivist 68, no. 1 (Spring–Summer 2005): 113–29.

Pugh, Mary Jo. Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts . Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005.

Ramsey, Alexis E., Wendy B. Sharer, Barbara L'Eplattenier, and Lisa S. Mastrangelo, eds. Working in the Archives: Methods, Sources, Histories . Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2010.

From the conference Access to Archives: The Japanese and American Practices, held in Tokyo, Japan, on May 9–11, 2007:

David J. Mengel, “Access to United States Government Records at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration,” http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/accesstoarchives/07_David_MENGEL.pdf

Mark Greene, “Access to Institutional Archives and Manuscript Collections in U.S. Colleges and Universities,” http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/accesstoarchives/08_Mark_GREENE.pdf

Richard Pearce-Moses, “Caught in the Middle: Access to State Government Records in the United States,” http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/accesstoarchives/09_Richard_Pearce-MOSES.pdf

Becky Haglund Tousey and Elizabeth W. Adkins, “Access to Business Archives: U.S. Access Philosophies,” http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/accesstoarchives/10_B-TOUSEY_E-ADKINS.pdf

Trudy Huskamp Peterson, “Attitudes and Access in the United States of America,” http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/accesstoarchives/11_Trudy_PETERSON.pdf

FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES

Merriman, Brenda Dougall. Genealogical Standards of Evidence: A Guide for Family Historians (Genealogist’s Reference Shelf). Toronto: Dundurn, 2010. A best practices methodology guide to genealogy.

Christian, Peter. The Genealogist's Internet . Fourth edition. Surrey, England: National Archives of England, 2009. A book on how to utilize online genealogy resources.

Ancestry.com , www.ancestry.com . One of the world’s largest online family history resources containing historical records, photos, stories, family trees and a collaborative community of millions of people (requires purchase or subscription).

Ellis Island Records , http://www.ellisisland.org/ . Online access to various immigration records.

FamilySearch , https://www.familysearch.org/ . The largest genealogy organization in the world provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

US Census Records , http://www.archives.gov/research/census/ . Locate names, ages, origins, occupations, marital status, and more.

USGenWeb Project , http://www.usgenweb.org/ . A group of volunteers working together to provide free genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.

PRESERVATION

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, and Diane L. Vogt-O’Connor. Photographs: Archival Care and Management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2006.

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts . 2nd ed. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2010.

Williams, Don, and Louisa Jagger. Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions . New York: Fireside, 2005. A reference book on preserving materials at home, written by a senior conservator of the Smithsonian Institution.

Conserve-O-Grams , http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html . Brief online guides distributed by the National Park Service that discuss methods of caring for all kinds of materials. See Conserve-O-Gram 19/3 for “Use and Handling of Rare Books.”

CoOL (Conservation OnLine) , http://cool.conservation-us.org/ . Site sponsored by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) covering a wide variety of conservation topics.

Northeast Document Conservation Center , http://www.nedcc.org/home.php . A website with information and resources regarding the preservation of paper-based materials.

Preservation 101 , https://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/preservation-101 . An online guide about preservation care for paper and media collections.

Stored Alive , http://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/stored-alive . An interactive website showing how time and storage environments impact different objects.

Appendix: Sample Annotated Finding Aid

Sample finding aid with annotations.

Below is an example of a finding aid describing an archival collection. This annotated model is designed to help define the separate parts of a finding aid and the standard formatting of finding aids in archives. Not all finding aids will incorporate these elements, but this sample should reflect a range of options researchers might encounter in finding aid formats.

[ Title Page : The beginning of the finding aid includes the name of the archival repository, the title of the archival collection, finding aid creation information, and a date range for the materials in the archive. “Bulk dates” refers to the date range where most of the materials in the collection originate.]

CORINTH HISTORICAL SOCIETY Finding aid for Corinth Chamber Of Commerce Records Date range: 1921-2005 Bulk dates: 1975-1997 Finding Aid created by Laura Schmidt, 2010 Copyright Corinth Historical Society

[ Summary Information : This section lists the creator of the materials in the archive, the size and extent of the collection (in boxes and linear feet), call numbers and storage locations, language(s) represented in the collection, and a brief description (abstract) of the collection contents.]

Creator: Corinth Chamber of Commerce

Extent: 2.5 linear feet (2 boxes and 1 oversize scrapbook)

Abstract: The records of the Corinth Chamber of Commerce include correspondence, events files, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings concerning community projects, and a scrapbook of photographs.

Call number: 85741 PUm – 2nd floor and Oversize Section

Language: The material is in English

[ Access and Use : If there are any restrictions placed on an archival collection, those should be noted here. Other information in this section includes how the archives received the collection, and copyright and citation notes.]

Acquisition Information: These records came to the historical society in 2008, deposited by the Corinth Chamber of Commerce (donor no. 1297).  Future additions to the records are expected.

Access Restrictions: The record group is open to research.

Copyright: Copyright remains with the Corinth Chamber of Commerce.

Cite as : [item], folder, box, Corinth Chamber of Commerce records, Corinth Historical Society.

[ Background Information : This section details the history or biographical information relating to the collection and how it was created.]

History : The Corinth Chamber of Commerce was established in 1922 and is dedicated to helping the businesses of Corinth grow and promoting the economic development of the region. The chamber is run by a combination of volunteers and professional staff. Local activities and events are also sponsored by the chamber. These records were created and deposited by the Corinth Chamber of Commerce.

[ Scope and Content and Arrangement : This section provides an overview of the types of materials in the collection and how they have been arranged. The different sections of the collection (series and subseries) organize collection content by type of material, format, topic, or some other filing system determined by the archival staff, and/or the original creator of the collection.]

Scope and Content : The records of the Corinth Chamber of Commerce include correspondence, events files, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings concerning community projects, and one scrapbook. The strength of the collection is found with the correspondence, meeting minutes, and newspaper clippings series. These series give a historical overview of the involvement and impact the chamber has had in the city of Corinth.

The correspondence series ranges from 1921 to 1996 and includes correspondence from staff members, local business owners, and other civic leaders, arranged by date. Of particular prominence is the correspondence with Mayor Thaddeus Gladstone (1945–1959), who worked very closely with the Chamber on city improvements during his tenure.

The events files contain materials relating to various events sponsored by the chamber from 1965 to 2005, including the annual town Christmas play. Arrangement is first by date and then by event title.

Meeting minutes are from the Board of Directors quarterly meetings, filed by date.

The newspaper clippings series contains a wide range of articles on community projects sponsored by the chamber and chamber activities, filed by date.

The scrapbook was created by chamber staff and is stored separately from the rest of the collection. It contains photographs from 1926 to 1965 of town storefronts and events.

[ Subject Terms : This section includes a list of terms, topics, etc. covered in the collection and usually linked to a library catalog to provide the researcher with materials in similar categories.]

  • Boards of trade—Corinth
  • Corinth—History
  • Municipal government—Corinth
  • Corinth—Social life and customs—20th century

[ Related Materials : This section of the finding aid points the researcher to other items in the archives (or elsewhere) that are closely related to the collection described in the finding aid. The items may be related by origin, subject matter, etc.]

Related Materials:

Researchers interested in this archive may also wish to consult the following resources in the Corinth Historical Society holdings:

Corinth Community Park Project Records – A collection documenting a landscaping project partly sponsored by the Corinth Chamber of Commerce

Corinth Photograph Collection – contains photos of local homes and businesses

Other materials in the historical society holdings may relate to the topics in this archive. See the archivist for further research assistance.

[ Contents listing : Sometimes also called “container contents.” This is a box-by-box, folder-by-folder listing of the materials stored in the collection. The level of detail in this section may vary depending on collection scope and individual repository practices.]

Folder #                                Description

        BOX 1 Correspondence (1921–1996)

   1                                       Correspondence, 1921–1931

   2                                       Correspondence, 1932–1940

   3                                       Correspondence, 1941–1955

   4                                       Correspondence, 1956–1967

   5                                       Correspondence, 1968–1975

   6                                       Correspondence, 1976–1985

   7                                       Correspondence, 1985–1996

  Events Files (1965–2005)

   8                                       Christmas play publicity, programs, and ticket stubs, 1965–1975

   9                                       Christmas play materials continued, 1978–1993

   10                                     “Party in the Park” Corinth Community Park dedication, 1994. Includes publicity, a transcript of  

                                             the speech by the mayor, and 6 photographs.

   11                                      Main Street beautification project, 1994–1996. Includes planning documents, items from grand

                                             opening ceremony, and a piece of fabric from the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

   12                                      Christmas play materials continued, 1995–2005

Meeting Minutes (1935–2005)

   13                                      Board of Directors meeting minutes, 1935–1952

   14                                      Meeting minutes continued, 1956–1963

   15                                      Meeting minutes continued, 1964–1975

   16                                      Meeting minutes continued, 1976–1984

   17                                      Meeting minutes continued, 1985–1996

        BOX 2

   18                                      Meeting minutes continued, 1997–2000

   19                                      Meeting minutes continued, 2001–2003

   20                                      Meeting minutes continued, 2004–2005

Newspaper Clippings (1945–2003)

   21                                      Articles relating to Chamber of Commerce events and activities, 1945–1963.

   22                                      Articles continued, 1969–1975

   23                                      Articles continued, 1976–1977

   24                                      Articles continued, 1979–1985

   25                                      Articles continued, 1987–1995

   26                                      Articles continued, 1996–2000

   27                                      Articles continued, 2001–2003

Scrapbook  (1926–1965)

Contains photographs from 1926 to 1965 of town storefronts and events. Stored separately from the collection in the oversize section. Ask archival staff for retrieval.

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Databases for history and culture research.

  • General History andCulture Resources

Historic Newspaper Resources

  • Biography and Genealogy Resources

This list highlights some of the history and culture databases available to researchers from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. A complete listing of electronic resources is located on the Libraries and Archives'  E-journals, E-books, and Databases . Databases that require SI network for access are indicated by "SI staff." For information about remote access see  Off-Site Access to Electronic Resources​ .

General History and Culture Resources

  • Archives Unbound  (SI Staff): Presents topically-focused digital collections of historical documents that cover a broad range of topics from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
  • American Civil War: Letters and Diaries  (SI Staff): Contains  over 2,000 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of diaries, letters and memoirs, presenting viewpoints and first-hand accounts from people on both sides of the conflict.
  • Gale Cengage Databases  (SI Staff): Search across more than 30 Gale databases at the same time, including American and foreign newspapers (some historical, some current), as well as a variety of U.S. and international history sources.
  • JSTOR  (SI Staff): Full-text searchable articles from more than 500 scholarly journals in the arts and humanities, economics and politics, mathematics and other fields of study. 
  • North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories  (SI Staff):  Includes over 2,100 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of information, providing a unique and personal view of what it meant to immigrate to America and Canada between 1800 and 1950.
  • North American Women's Letters and Diaries  (SI Staff):  I ncludes the immediate experiences of 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters. The collection also includes biographies and an extensive annotated bibliography of the sources in the database.
  • Project Muse  (SI Staff): Provides full-text access to hundreds of high quality, peer-reviewed journals from non-profit scholarly publishers, including university presses and societies, covering a wide variety of disciplines.
  • ProQuest  (SI Staff): Search across all available ProQuest different databases at once or select specific ones to search, including American Periodicals, Ethnic NewsWatch, Women's Magazine Archive, and historical newspapers such as the Washington Post, New York Times , Los Angeles Times , and Chicago Defender .
  • Smithsonian Collections Online (Gale Cengage) (SI Staff):  Online archive of  Smithsonian  and Air & Space Magazine  issues, as well as online access to selected trade catalogs and World's Fair materials from Smithsonian collections.
  • African American Newspapers (1827-1998)   (SI Staff) :  Covers life in the Antebellum South through the Civil Rights movement and more.
  • Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers :  This resource from the Library of Congress lets you search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1924 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
  • Ethnic NewsWatch   (SI Staff) :  Coverage: 1959-present. Included are journals, magazines, and newspapers from ethnic and minority presses. Ethnicities include: African American/Caribbean/African; Arab/Middle Eastern; Asian/Pacific Islander; European/Eastern European; Hispanic; Jewish; Native People.
  • Google News Archive :  A list of U.S. and foreign digitized newspapers, arranged alphabetically by title. Coverage varies widely.
  • Harper's Weekly 1857-1912   (SI Staff) :  America's leading 19th century illustrated newspaper.
  • Atlanta Constitution   (SI Staff) :  Coverage: 1868- 1984
  • Atlanta Daily World   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1931- 2010
  • Baltimore Afro-American   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1893- 1988
  • Boston Globe   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1872- 1989
  • Chicago Defender   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1909- 2010
  • Chicago Tribune   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1849- 1997
  • Hartford Courant   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1764- 1995
  • Los Angeles Times   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1881- 1996
  • New York Amsterdam News   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1922- 1993
  • New York Times   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1851- 2017
  • New York Tribune   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1841- 1922
  • Pittsburgh Courier   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1911- 2010
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1874- 1922
  • Washington Post   (SI Staff) :   Coverage: 1877-2004 (Smithsonian employees can register for a free current digital subscription at  https://wapo.st/34iLbRs )
  • Wikipedia List of Online Newspaper Archives :   A listing of both free and pay wall blocked digital newspaper archives from the U.S. and foreign countries.

Biography and Genealogy Resources

  • Ancestry Library Edition  (SI Staff): Powered by Ancestry.com, this resource offers access to billions of records for genealogical research.
  • American National Biography Online  (SI Staff): Offers portraits of more than 19,000 men and women, from all eras and walks of life, whose lives have shaped the nation. 
  • Biography and Genealogy Master Index  (SI Staff):   Indexes current, easily accessible references sources to help find biographical material on people from all time periods, geographic locations, and fields of endeavor.
  •   FamilySearch : For over 100 years, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide.
  •   Fold3  (SI Staff): Provides access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Also includes some census records and selected other non-military materials.

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8 Archives and Historical Research

While a larger and larger proportion of primary sources have been digitized, there will always be physical archives.  In this section, you’ll learn what archives are, why they exist, and how to take advantage of them. Sifting through actual documents and artifacts from the past can be great fun, and if you have the opportunity to visit an archive as a part of writing a historical research paper for a class, you should do so. Read up here and consider visiting an archival collection near you to locate unique sources.

Archives are the documents and records from individuals, organizations, and governments that have been preserved and made available to researchers because of their enduring value.  Archives aren’t just for historians, of course, they are saved for everyone. They are important because they provide evidence of activities and tell us more about individuals and institutions. They also tell stories and increase our sense of identity and understanding of cultures, societies, and human actions. They can even be used to protect hard-won civil, political, legal, and economic rights and to ensure justice. The bottom-line is archives are important to understanding the past and to documenting and protecting our rights as citizens.

Libraries and Archives

Chances are you have used libraries in the past for leisure reading, special programs, school projects, or a host of other activities. Libraries and their look, feel, and organization are familiar to most of us. Not so much archives. On the most basic level, libraries and archives are information providers, though they deliver information in different ways, and the type of information they contain is often different.

For example, libraries contain published works (books, journals, magazines, newspapers, electronic databases, etc.) created to educate, inform, and entertain, while archives contain mostly unpublished materials produced by individuals, organizations, and governments through normal day-to-day activities and only later are saved because they tell us something important about the past. A library’s collection is not unique, since most of the works it acquires are produced in multiple copies and sold to other libraries across the country. Archival holdings, however, are unique. You won’t find archival records in one repository duplicated anywhere else. There is an old cliché that says “libraries are for readers, while archives are for writers.” All sorts of people use libraries, but those planning to create knowledge for others use archives. While there are exceptions to this cliché, of course, we hope you get the point.

Because of their unique holdings, archival institutions oftentimes have well developed preservation, conservation, and security plans in place designed to protect and preserve their collections. After all, if an archival document is destroyed or stolen, it can’t be replaced. The limiting factor for libraries to replace missing items is money—does the library have the funds to purchase replacements? As a result, most libraries allow their materials to circulate outside the library and then replace lost and stolen items as needed. Archival materials are almost never allowed to leave the archives because they can’t be replaced.

Libraries and archives also process materials differently. Generally speaking, libraries catalog resources at the item level. You can search a library’s online catalog by subject, author, title, keyword, etc., and find discrete items focusing on your subject. Archives collections are maintained and processed at the collection level, and many collections have literally thousands of items in them (some considerably more). Rather than cataloging individual items in archival collections, archivists produce finding aids for collections as a whole. These finding aids, rather than library catalog records, are the access tools for researchers.  You can read more about how finding aids work below , but archives are also staffed by archivists, who help researchers as part of their jobs.  Don’t hesitate to ask them for help!

For a full discussion of the principles behind collecting for archives and the pathway to becoming an archivist, see the chapter on archiving as a profession – “Becoming an Archivist.”

Archives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region

If you’re ready to work with an archive as part of your research project, there are plenty of options in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. These archives could be important for any number of different research topics from those pertaining to local history or to federal history, from cultural or religious history, to the history of technology or politics and many different topics in between.What follows is a list of some of the archives in the DFW metroplex, along with links to their homepages. Accessing their websites will give you information about the types of historical sources they have and what their use policies are.

City Archives

Dallas Municipal Archives

Dallas Public Library Special Collections (has a number of collections focusing on Dallas)

Fort Worth Public Library Genealogy, History, and Archives Department (houses numerous Fort Worth collections)

Most of the public libraries in the suburbs have local history collections too. Many of these collections also contain archival materials.

County Archives

Tarrant County Archives

Museum Collections

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Dallas Historical Society

Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Library and Archives

Dallas Jewish Historical Society

Dallas Museum of Art Archives

Documentary Arts, Dallas, Texas African American Photography Archive

Fort Museum of Science and History, Library and Archives

Frontiers of Flight Museum Research Library

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

University Collections

SMU Bridwell Library Archives

SMU DeGolyer Library

SMU Hamon Arts Library Bywaters Special Collections

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary J. T. and Zelma Luther Archives

TCU Library Special Collections

Texas Woman’s University Library Woman’s Collection

University of Dallas Library Archives and Special Collections 

University of North Texas Library Special Collections

University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Special Collections

University of Texas at Dallas Library Special Collections

Researching in Archives

As mentioned earlier, archives are different animals than libraries, and their policies and procedures reflect this. When visiting an archive for research purposes, be prepared to follow their rules, but also try to understand why these rules are in place. Remember, archival repositories hold unique collections that are impossible to replace, so user policies are more restrictive than those of libraries.

Most archives have a similar set of policies and procedures, including requiring you to register once you arrive to conduct research. In most archives, you will be asked to register as a user by showing some form of personal identification and completing a user form (which the archives will keep to document your visit). You may also be asked to lock up purses, backpacks, notebooks, and other non-essential items, only bringing paper, pencil (ink is prohibited in most archives because an errant mark can damage materials), or a computer into the research room for note-taking. A staff member will then conduct a reference interview with you to find out about your research focus and to help determine if, or how, the archives’ collection can help.

Once appropriate collections are identified, an archivist may provide a finding aid to each collection you want to use. A finding aid is an important access and descriptive tool for archival collections. Finding aids reveal information about who or what organization created the collection, the scope of the topics reflected in the collection, the dates of the materials in the collection, and a container list, showing what is in each box of the collection. By using the finding aid, you will be able to request specific boxes and folders from the collection. (A helpful site to finding aids in a number of archival institutions across Texas can be found at Texas Archival Resources Online .)

At this point, the archives staff will probably ask you to fill out “call-slips,” where you request specific boxes and/or folders from the collections you are interested in. The staff will retrieve the boxes/folders and bring them to you in the research room. Don’t be surprised if they give you one box at a time and require you to sit at a table that is being monitored by staff and/or video cameras. Keep in mind that security is a priority in all archival institutions. You will not be allowed to take the materials out of the research room, so your research must be conducted when the archives is open. Budget your time accordingly, keeping in mind that archives have limited hours, and archival research takes time and is unlike using books and other sources, which have indexes and other precise access tools.

Be sure when taking notes from an archives collection that you include bibliographic information that you will need later in order to cite the collection and its contents in your footnotes and bibliography. Many finding aids will show you how to cite a collection, but not all will. If the finding aid you are using doesn’t give you the bibliographic citation, then record the complete title of the collection, the collection’s unique identifying number (if it has one), the box and folder numbers you used, as well as the folder titles. As long as you have this information, then you will be able to write your footnotes and bibliography using any footnoting style and format.

When you find material that you want to copy or scan, then ask the staff about the archives’ copy policy. Some archives will allow you to scan documents using your phone or camera, while others may require that all copies and scans be done by staff members, who will charge you a fee to defray costs. If you think that publishing some of the items you are using may occur in the future (or even if there is only a remote possibility), then be aware that some archives have publication fees associated with the reproduction of archival materials in books, videos, advertisements, television, and other products, especially if these products are commercial in nature (as opposed to being sponsored by non-profits). It never hurts to request the archives’ fee schedule, so you will have this information.

Once you have completed your research, then return the archival boxes/folders to the staff member at the reference desk, retrieve the personal items you locked up when you registered, and depart. If you find that you have questions after leaving the archives, feel free to contact the archives staff to get the answers. They are happy to help.

How History is Made: A Student’s Guide to Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Discipline Copyright © 2022 by Stephanie Cole; Kimberly Breuer; Scott W. Palmer; and Brandon Blakeslee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods pp 35–40 Cite as

Archival Research

  • Connor Brenna 4  
  • First Online: 02 January 2023

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Part of the Springer Texts in Education book series (SPTE)

An archive, in the broadest sense, is any collection of historical materials. Archival research is a primary research methodology in which archival holdings constitute the key source of data. The technique is unique among qualitative research methodologies in that it traditionally requires physical exploration of one or more archives to acquire source material which may not be available anywhere else, although advances in electronic recordkeeping and open access practices are making archival research more accessible. This chapter presents a brief history of archival research, an introduction to its use, and an overview of its strengths and limitations. It also offers a use case to describe how an archival researcher might leverage the exclusive holdings of an archive to answer an interesting and novel research question.

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Additional Readings

Gaillet, L. L., Eidson, D., & Gammill, D. (Eds.). (2016). Landmark Essays on Archival Research . Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Hill, M. R. (1993). Archival strategies and techniques (Vol. 31). Sage Publications.

Moore, N., Salter, A., Stanley, L., & Tamboukou, M. (2016). The archive project: Archival research in the social sciences . Routledge.

Ramsey, A. E., Sharer, W. B., L'Eplattenier, B., & Mastrangelo, L. (Eds.). (2009). Working in the archives: Practical research methods for rhetoric and composition . SIU Press.

Online Resources

What is archival research (3 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzZz3HYlN4Y&ab_channel=TheAudiopedia

Archival research tips (13 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAIRwtb7XsU&ab_channel=BrianSweeney

Sciences of the Archives (16 ½ minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPSa4Ub8FU8&ab_channel=LatestThinking

Archives have the power to boost marginalized voices (8 ½ minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsNPlBBi1IE&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

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Brenna, C. (2023). Archival Research. In: Okoko, J.M., Tunison, S., Walker, K.D. (eds) Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04394-9_6

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Please explore the links below to find out more about records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs)/unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in NARA’s holdings. All links to items in the National Archives Catalog are downloadable and can be republished with attribution to the National Archives and Records Administration.

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Still Pictures and Photographs UAP Related Records

RG 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  • Items from the series “Photographs Relating to Agency Activities, Facilities and Personnel, 1960–1991” (National Archives Identifier: 5956182 , Local Identifier: 255-GS)

RG 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, 1900–2003

  • Items include 342-AF-63708AC, 342-AF-163969AC, 342-AF-34920AC, 342-AF-34923 AC, 342-AF-34919AC, 342-AF-163969AC, and 342-AF-34919AC.  A finding aid for these items is available in the Still Picture Research Room.
  • Items from the series “Black and White and Color Photographs of U.S. Air Force Activities, Facilities, and Personnel, Domestic and Foreign” (National Archives Identifier: 542326 , Local Identifier: 342-B)

RG 341: Records of Headquarters U.S. Air Force (Air Staff)

  • “Project “BLUE BOOK”, 1954–1966.” (National Archives Identifier: 542184 , Local Identifier: 341-PBB)

Moving Images and Sound UAP Related Records

RG 111: Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer

  • MAJ. GEN. JOHN A. SAMFORD'S STATEMENT ON "FLYING SAUCERS", PENTAGON, WASHINGTON, D.C (National Archives Identifier: 25738 , Local Identifier: 111-LC-30875)

RG 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1903–2006

  • Walter Cronkite and Gordon Cooper on UFOs (National Archives Identifier: 86027191 , Local Identifier: 255-PAOa-807-AAE).
  • An Executive Summary of the Greatest Secret of the 20th Century (National Archives Identifier: 5833930 , Local Identifier: 255-GOLDIN-233).  

RG 263: Records of the Central Intelligence Agency, 1894–2002

  • Unidentified Flying Objects, 1956 (National Archives Identifier: 617148 , Local Identifier: 263-95). This film is edited, with sound. 
  • Unidentified Flying Objects, 1956 (National Archives Identifier: 5954651 and 617916 , Local Identifier: 263-124). 

RG 306: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, 1900–2003

  • Doctor Edward Condon, University of Colorado Physicist Studying Unidentified Flying Objects (National Archives Identifier: 127614 , Local Identifier: 306-EN-S-T-2808). 
  • Alderman Interview with Doctor Page on Unidentified Flying Objects (National Archives Identifier: 130003 , Local Identifier: 306-EN-W-T-8990)
  • Foreign Press Center Briefing with B. Maccabee, L. Koss, J. Shandera, and B. Hopkins (National Archives Identifier: 56103 , Local Identifier: 306-FP-17)

RG 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense

  • The Case of the Flying Saucer (National Archives Identifier: 2386432 , Local Identifier: 330a.85)
  • Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) Sighting (National Archives Identifier: 614788 , Local Identifier: 330-DVIC-653)

RG 341: Records of Headquarters U.S. Air Force (Air Staff) 

  • “Project Blue Book Motion Picture Films, 1950-1966” (National Archives Identifier: 61934 , Local Identifier: 341-PBB)
  • “Sound Recordings Relating to Project Blue Book Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) Investigations, 1953-1967” (National Archives Identifier: 1142703 , Local Identifier: 341-PBBa)
  • “Moving Images Relating to “The Roswell Reports” Source Data Research Files, 1946-1996” (National Archives Identifier: 566658 , Local Identifier: 341-ROSWELL)
  • “Sound Recordings Relating to “The Roswell Reports”, 1991-1996” (National Archives Identifier: 566843 , Local Identifier: 341-ROSWELLa)

RG 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

  • DFD Avrocar I Progress Report, February 1, 1958 – May 1959 (National Archives Identifier: 68170 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-29668).
  • Disc Flight Development, Avrocar I Progress Report, May 2, 1959–April 12, 1960 (National Archives Identifier: 68175 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-29673). 
  • Avrocar Continuation Test Program and Terrain Test Program, June 1, 1960–June 14, 1961 (National Archives Identifier: 68405 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-31135). 
  • Friend, Foe, or Fantasy, 1966 (National Archives Identifier: 69861 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-41040). 
  • UFO Interview, 1966 (National Archives Identifier: 70511 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-42990).
  • USAF UFO sightings, California, 1952–1975 (National Archives Identifier: 72035 , Local Identifier: 342-USAF-49377).

RG 517: Records of the U.S. Agency for Global Media

  • UFO Sighting Over Alaska, January 13, 1987 (National Archives Identifier: 262327376,   Local Identifier: 517-VOAa-87-306.)
  • Science World 1030, 2002 (National Archives Identifier: 77179268 , Local Identifier: 517-BBG-50046)

Donated Collections:

  • Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs): Fact or Fiction, November 1974 (National Archives Identifier: 2838871 , Local Identifier: 200.1572)
  • Paramount News [Mar. 7] (1951) Vol. 10. No. 52 (National Archives Identifier: 99581 ,  Local Identifier: PARA-PN-10.52)
  • Paramount News [July 30] (1952) Vol. 11, No. 100 (National Archives Identifier: 99731 , Local Identifier: PARA-PN-11.100)
  • Universal Newsreel Volume 22, Release 276, August 22, 1949 (National Archives Identifier: 234273290 , Local Identifier: UN-UN-22-276)
  • Universal Newsreel Volume 25, Release 586, August 11, 1952 (National Archives Identifier: 234273597 , Local Identifier: UN-UN-25-586)

Textual Records and Microfilm UAP Related Records

RG 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration  

  • Project Blue Book: UFO Sightings  (National Archives Identifier: 40027753 )

RG 181: Records of Navy Installations Command, Navy Regions, Naval Districts, and Shore Establishments

  • Collection of A8-2 Information, 1959 (National Archives Identifier: 291645977 )

RG 237: Records of The Federal Aviation Administration

  • Information Releases Relating to Unidentified Flying Object, 1986 (FAA—Japan Airlines Flight 1628) (National Archives Identifier: 733667 )
  • Gemini VII Air-to-Ground Transcript Volume I (National Archives Identifier: 5011500 )
  • Records of Investigations of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) Relating to the Office of Special Investigations, 1948–1968 (National Archives Identifier: 45484701 )
  • Project Blue Book Administrative Files, 1947–1969 (National Archives Identifier: 595175 )
  • Copies of the Case Files of the 4602D Air Intelligence Service Squadron on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), 1954–1956 (National Archives Identifier: 23857158 )
  • Case Files of the 4602 D Intelligence Service Squadron on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) (National Archives Identifier: 23857157 )
  • Roswell Report Source Files, 1987–1996 (National Archives Identifier: 17618564 )
  • Air Intelligence Reports, 1948–1953 (National Archives Identifier: 23857122 )
  • Project Blue Book Artifacts, 1952–1969 (National Archives Identifier: 23857160 )
  • Sanitized Version of Project Blue Book Case Files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects, 1947–1969 (National Archives Identifier: 597821 )
  • Case files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), 1953-1960 (National Archives Identifier: 23857159 )
  • Project Blue Book Case Files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), June 1947–December 1969 (National Archives Identifier: 595466 )
  • Miscellaneous Case Files On Sightings Of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), 1953–1960 (National Archives Identifier: 23857159 )

RG 342: Records of the U. S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations  

  • AFR 80-17/OCAMA-TAFB Sup Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) (National Archives Identifier: 37294296 )
  • Obsolete During 1969: 4600 Air Base Wing Supplement 1 to Air Force Regulation 80-17, Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO), 10 January 1967; Superseded, 15 April 1969 (National Archives Identifier: 68875395 )
  • REL-2-4-1 UFOs 1965 (National Archives Identifier: 311003081 )
  • File 5: 2, Community Relations, 1970 (National Archives Identifier: 47323287 )
  • 471.6 Guided Missiles, 1 January 1952 (National Archives Identifier: 333334712 )
  • 471.6 Guided Missiles, 1 July 1952 (National Archives Identifier: 333334717 )

National Archives Blog Posts and Articles

  • Project BLUE BOOK - Unidentified Flying Objects (Updated 2020)
  • National Archives News: Public Interest in UFOs Persists 50 Years After Project Blue Book Termination (2019)
  • Featured Document Display: 50 Years Ago: Government Stops Investigating UFOs (2019)
  • Pieces of History: Saucers Over Washington: the History of Project Blue Book (2019)
  • Pieces of History: INVASION! (of privacy) (2018)
  • Pieces of History: UFOs: Natural Explanations (2018)
  • Pieces of History: UFOs: Man-Made, Made Up, and Unknown (2018)
  • National Archives News: Do Records Show Proof of UFOs? (2018)
  • The Unwritten Record: The Roswell Reports: What crashed in the desert? (2014)
  • The Unwritten Record: Avrocar: The U.S. Military’s Flying Saucer (2014)
  • The NDC Blog: What on Earth Is It? (2014)
  • Pieces of History: Flying Saucers, Popular Mechanics, and the National Archives (2013)
  • The Unwritten Record: Project Blue Book: Home Movies in UFO Reports (2013)
  • The Unwritten Record: Project Blue Book: Spotting UFOs in the Film Record (2013)
  • [VIDEO]: UFO Project Blue Book at National Archives Museum

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HIST 794: History of Development (Spring 2024; Prof. Engerman): Archival material used in February 28, 2024 session

  • Archival material used in February 28, 2024 session
  • Background Sources, Secondary Sources, and Databases
  • Citing Your Sources

Introduction

This course guide is intended to assist students in their research projects for HIST 794 "History of Development" taught by Professor David Engerman in Spring 2024 at Yale University. The following entries highlight the archival collection materials used in the class session held in the International Room at Sterling Memorial Library on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. Information on Finding the International Room is here .

Additionally, the following online guides will assist you in using Yale's special collections and finding primary sources for your research project.

  • The  Guide to Using Special Collections at Yale University   is a great introduction to finding and using special collections and archives held at Yale for your research projects. 
  • The  Primary Sources at Yale  website is a great resource if you're not sure what types of materials might serve as primary sources for your research project. The  section on database search strategies and using Advanced Search features  is especially useful and will increase the power and focus of your database searches! Be aware that primary sources can be found in many library locations and resources other than the special collections units.

Library Contacts

Students in HIST 794 should feel free to contact any of the following librarians as a starting point for research assistance with their projects for this course.

  • Joshua Cochran :  Curator, American History and Diplomacy, Beinecke Library
  • Scott Libson : Special Collections Librarian, Yale Divinity School

PERSONAL PAPERS

Chester bowles papers (ms 628).

Link to the finding aid for this collection in Archives at Yale

Overview:   The papers consist of correspondence, speeches, writings, photographs, clippings, oral history interviews, and other material documenting the personal life and professional career of Chester Bowles. Bowles' political career in Connecticut and his service as ambassador to India are detailed, as is his work as a foreign policy advisor, chairman of the Democratic Platform Committee at the 1960 national convention, and author and speaker on political affairs.

Collection materials used in class session:

  • Part III, Box 115: Writings and Speeches
  • Part VII, Box 345: Memoranda, notes, and Reports on Economic Development
  • Part VII, Box 348: Materials on Family Planning and Agriculture

George A. Dudley Papers (MS 941)

Overview: The papers are comprised of writings, drafts, research and topical files, notes, correspondence, clippings, articles, reports, proposals, and other documents relating to the career of architect and planner George A. Dudley, who oversaw the development and construction of many large-scale projects, such as campuses for the State University of New York and mass housing programs in Latin America, the Middle East, and India. The collection includes records produced and collected by Dudley when he worked both domestically and internationally as an architect, planner, administrator, and consultant, as well as materials relating to Dudley’s book, A Workshop for Peace: Designing the United Nations Headquarters (1994), based on Dudley’s experience in 1947 working on the U.N. Headquarters under architect Wallace K. Harrison.

  • Accession 2006-M-026, Box 9: Abu Nuwaz Development Project (Iraq)
  • Accession 2006-M-026, Box 30: Correspondence with USAID
  • Accession 2006-M-026, Box 40: Reports and correspondence on Abu Nuwaz Project

Douglas Ensminger Papers (MS 1315)

Overview:   The papers consist of oral history transcripts, 1971-1972, covering Ensminger's years in India, 1951-1970, as representative for the Ford Foundation. The papers also include unpublished reports and memos concerning India, 1952-1982.

Collection materials used in class session:  ​​​​​​

  • Accession 1983-M-011, Box 1: Various reports on development, especially India
  • Accession 1983-M-011, Box 2: Various records of Ford Foundation, mostly India
  • Series II, Box 7: Published reports on development ca. 1970

James Gustav Speth Papers (MS 2068)

Overview:   James Gustave Speth (1942-) is a lawyer, activist, author, and advocate for the environment. The James Gustave Speth Papers consist of Speth’s professional papers from 1977 to 2000 and cover the bulk of his career in environmental law, as well as his service as a fellow in research and innovation organizations.

  • Series V, Box 56: Records of UNDP Executive Committee

William S. Gaud Papers (MS 941)

Overview:  Correspondence, diary, speeches, Yale memorabilia, and papers relating to his service as an administrator with the U.S. Agency for International Development (1961-1969) in the Near East and South Asia. The most important papers are his letters to his wife, speeches, diary and other papers documenting his military service in Asia, 1943-1945. Other letters to his wife describe trips to Japan in 1955 and 1956. Included also are two oral history interviews made for the Kennedy and Johnson presidential libraries, 1966 and 1971.

  • Box 3: Speeches

Robert Triffin Papers (MS 874)

Overview:   Correspondence, reports, writings, lectures, and clippings relating to Robert Triffin's career as an economist and professor of economics at Yale University, including material on European monetary systems and banking, and financial missions around the world. Main topics include: International Monetary Fund, European Payments Union, European Economic Community, O.E.E.C, international liquidity and monetary reform, economic conditions in Europe and Latin America, problems with the U.S. dollar, gold and sterling, exchange rates and the unit of account. Files on Triffin's financial missions abroad for the U.S. government are divided by country. They cover Missions to Latin America, Missions to Western Europe and Japan. The Mission to Iran is well documented and includes folders on the nationalization of the oil industry and the oil negotiations, 1951-1952. Also present are the files on the ECAFE Missions to Asia on the Asian Payments Union. Beginning as almost a complete folder by folder listing, the preliminary inventory grows more general after Box 20. The material in the last boxes arrived in a less organized state and should be checked by researchers if it bears upon their topic. Little rearrangement of the contents of the papers has been done.

  • Box 1: Mission to Iran

INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS

Technoserve records (ms 2083).

Overview: The collection documents Technoserve's efforts to combat poverty in the developing world. The papers consist of administrative files, records from Technoserve presidents Edward P. Bullard and Peter Reiling, files and grant information related to Technoserve's work in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and newsletters.

  • Series II, Boxes 30-31: Administrative records on work for USAID
  • Series II, Box 55: Kenya

United Mission to Nepal (RG 212) Divinity School

Overview: This record group represents the official archives of The United Mission to Nepal, a Christian INGO working exclusively in Nepal since 1954 . The UMN has sought to bring medical services, education, skills training, engineering, industry, hydro power development, agriculture and rural development to Nepal, mainly in the central and western development regions of the country.

  • Box 27: Industrial work, Capital Projects, Board notes
  • Box 47: Economic Development Materials
  • Box 131: Correspondence Reports from Executive Directors Office

Yale Economics Department Records (RU422)

Overview: The records consist of reports, correspondence, minutes, and memoranda documenting faculty appointments, committees, budgets, and students in the Yale Department of Economics and the Economic Growth Center. Also included are grade books of Professor Fred R. Fairchild, 1904-1945.

  • Accession 1989-A-095: Records on found of the Economic Growth Center

Yale Economic Growth Center Records (RU 474)

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IMAGES

  1. 10+ Historical Research Examples in PDF

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  2. Historical Analysis Research Papers Examples

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  3. An Annual Publication of Historical Papers: Legal and Biographical

    historical papers research archive

  4. (PDF) Celebrating 20 years of historical papers in Photosynthesis Research

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  5. Historical papers of the Trinity College Historical Society [serial

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  6. Historical papers read at meetings of the Clinton historical society

    historical papers research archive

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  1. Making history 🤩🇯🇵❤️

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COMMENTS

  1. Historical Papers

    The Historical Papers Research Archive is one of the most comprehensive public archives in Southern Africa, with over 3400 collections. We are the official repository of the South African Institute of Race Relations, and the Anglican Church in Southern Africa.

  2. Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand

    The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. Its first holdings were the Jan Hofmeyr collection and the John Gubbins collection as well as manuscripts which were transferred to the Historical Papers archive from the Africana section in the William Cullen Library.

  3. Internet Archive Scholar

    Search Millions of Research Papers This fulltext search index includes over 35 million research articles and other scholarly documents preserved in the Internet Archive. The collection spans from digitized copies of eighteenth century journals through the latest Open Access conference proceedings and preprints crawled from the World Wide Web.

  4. Research Archives, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

    This site includes the two major research archives at the University, namely the Historical Papers Research Archive (HPRA), and the South African History Archive (SAHA).

  5. ARCHIVAL GUIDES

    The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. Its first holdings were the Jan Hofmeyr collection and the Gubbins collection as well as other manuscripts which were transferred from the Africana section in the William Cullen Library.

  6. Historical Papers Research Archive

    The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. We are a friendly, vastly used, valued and popular service as well as unique and accessible hub for human rights research serving civil society, scholars and researchers.

  7. Historical Papers Research Archive

    The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. Its first holdings were the Jan Hofmeyr collection and the Gubbins collection as well as manuscripts which were transferred from the Africana section in the William Cullen Library.

  8. Historical Papers Research Archive, The Library, University of the

    The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library, was established in 1966. Its first holdings were the Jan Hofmeyr collection and the Gubbins collection as well as other manuscripts which were transferred from the Africana section in the William Cullen Library.

  9. LibGuides: William Cullen Library: Historical Papers Department

    Established in 1966, The Historical Papers research archive is situated in the William Cullen Library. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in Southern Africa. It provides for unique archival materials on human rightsesearch. It is open to the civil society, scholars and researchers. Some of the finding aids are:

  10. Historical Research

    Classic articles from the recent archives. The new virtual issue from Historical Research shines a light on some of the classic articles from the journal's recent archive. It features some of the most read and most cited articles from the journal's archives and covers a wide range of topics of perennial interest to both historians and to a wider readership.

  11. Introduction to Historical Research : Home

    This guide is an introduction to selected resources available for historical research. It covers both primary sources (such as diaries, letters, newspaper articles, photographs, government documents and first-hand accounts) and secondary materials (such as books and articles written by historians and devoted to the analysis and interpretation of historical events and evidence).

  12. Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research

    By Laura Schmidt. Introduction. Archives exist both to preserve historic materials and to make them available for use. This guide addresses the second purpose by outlining the functions and procedures of archives, and is designed both for first-time archives users and scholars who have already conducted research in archives. The content covers:

  13. JSTOR Home

    Harness the power of visual materials—explore more than 3 million images now on JSTOR. Enhance your scholarly research with underground newspapers, magazines, and journals. Explore collections in the arts, sciences, and literature from the world's leading museums, archives, and scholars. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals ...

  14. Databases for History and Culture Research

    ProQuest (SI Staff): Search across all available ProQuest different databases at once or select specific ones to search, including American Periodicals, Ethnic NewsWatch, Women's Magazine Archive, and historical newspapers such as the Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Defender.

  15. Practices of Historical Research in Archives and Libraries from the

    In 1900, Eduard Heydenreich, an archivist and genealogist, published a small booklet titled "Archival Regimes and the Study of History." 1 This pamphlet of forty-something pages has two aims: first, it provides a pan-European survey of recent developments in archive-based historiography; second, Heydenreich's text provides a strong statement in favor of a more liberal archival policy as ...

  16. National Digital Newspaper Program

    Newspaper Navigator is an experimental web application from LC Labs that utilizes machine learning techniques to let you search and browse over 1.56 million photographs extracted from the NDNP's Chronicling America online newspaper collection. Search historic newspaper photos with Newspaper Navigator Learn more about the Newspaper Navigator Project

  17. Archives and Historical Research

    8 Archives and Historical Research While a larger and larger proportion of primary sources have been digitized, there will always be physical archives. In this section, you'll learn what archives are, why they exist, and how to take advantage of them.

  18. Archival Research

    Abstract. An archive, in the broadest sense, is any collection of historical materials. Archival research is a primary research methodology in which archival holdings constitute the key source of data. The technique is unique among qualitative research methodologies in that it traditionally requires physical exploration of one or more archives ...

  19. Historical Newspapers

    Introduction How to Find a Newspaper Historical Newspapers Chronological Index to Microfilm (1940-1989) Special Newspaper Collections Reference Sources Additional Resources Online Historical Newspapers [Hank Aaron, three-quarter length portrait, sprawled across table in locker room, reading newspaper]. 1955.

  20. Research Our Records

    Research military records at the National Archives from the Revolutionary War to the present. Research a Specific Topic Perform research on people, places, events and other popular topics of interest. New to Archival Research? Research in Person Order Copies of Records Browse Online Exhibits What are people asking on History Hub?

  21. Library Research Guide for History

    The Columbia guide to online style (online access via Internet Archive) by Janice R. Walker. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. History Writing Guides. A Brief Guide to Writing the History Paper - produced by the Harvard College Writing Center

  22. PDF A Brief Guide to Writing the History Paper

    Common Types of History Papers History papers come in all shapes and sizes. Some papers are narrative (organized like a story according to chronology, or the sequence of events), and some are analytical (organized like an essay according to the topic's internal logic).

  23. Records Related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena ...

    The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has established an ''Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection," per sections 1841-1843 of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 118-31). Please explore the links below to find out more about records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs)/unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in NARA's

  24. Yale University Library Research Guides: HIST 794: History of

    The most important papers are his letters to his wife, speeches, diary and other papers documenting his military service in Asia, 1943-1945. Other letters to his wife describe trips to Japan in 1955 and 1956. Included also are two oral history interviews made for the Kennedy and Johnson presidential libraries, 1966 and 1971.