Working with Primary Sources - HST 2050 - History Methods (Spring 2024) - UVM Libraries Research Guides at UVM Libraries

Tools for Finding Published Primary Sources

UVM Library Catalog (via CATQuest) This link opens in a new window
Use to locate books, print and electronic journals, government information, DVDs, and other materials that UVM has in its collection. This interface allows you to structure complex searches easily. This search will not locate articles.
WorldCat This link opens in a new window
This resource is a searchable database of library collections across the United States, Canada and many other countries. Well over a billion records describe books, multimedia, serials, maps, and other information resources. Materials identified through WorldCat can be ordered through UVM's Interlibrary Loan Service.
Hathi Trust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
This resource provides access to millions of digitized titles that are in the public domain including government publications. Use it to locate historic or primary source materials from around the world. Use is open to everyone but UVM affiliates can log in to download texts for offline use.
Center for Research Libraries Catalog This link opens in a new window
This resource provides access to many research sources that are not available elsewhere in the United States. Materials include international newspapers, foreign language books and theses, and extensive primary sources collections. Request non-digital items through Interlibrary Loan.
Readers' Guide Retrospective, 1890-1982 This link opens in a new window
This database contains indexing of popular general-interest periodicals in the U.S. (1890-1982). While not full-text this database will help you to identify articles in popular magazines that we have in print or on microfilm.

Useful Subject Terms for Primary Sources

Library Catalogs (such as CATQuest or WorldCat) use predefined terms to describe primary sources. Among the most commonly used terms are:

Correspondence
Description and Travel
Diaries
Documents
Interviews
Letters
Personal Narratives
Sources

Historical Newspapers & Magazines Online

Historical Newspapers
Resources to help you locate historical newspapers from the 17th through the 21st century online and in other formats. Includes newspapers from The United States, Britain, India, Mexico, Latin America, and more.
LIFE Magazine
Digital version of all issues of LIFE magazine from 1935-1970. An invaluable resource for studying American culture during this time period.

Picture Post Historical Archive This link opens in a new window
This resource provides complete access to The Picture Post (1938-1957), a photojournalistic magazine from the United Kingdom.

American Historical Periodicals
A guide to digitized American historical periodicals from the 18th through the 20th century. Includes access to Harper's, Life, Vogue, and more.

Primary Source Collections Online

A small selection of online primary sources in a variety of formats to get you started. See other research guides in history for additional materials.

American History in Video This link opens in a new window
This collection includes archival and documentary streaming video covering a wide variety of historical periods. Look for the collection of newsreels that include coverage of global events.
ARTstor This link opens in a new window
This resource provides images of artworks and cultural artifacts of a wide variety of types, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, furniture, textiles, ceramics, and more from around the world. The collection can be searched by creator, time period, type of work or by region of origin.
Note:The ARTstor site will be retired as of August 1, 2024. Access to ARTstor materials will be through JSTOR.

British Pathé
British newsreels covering all of the twentieth century.
Digital Public Library of America
Access images, videos, and other cultural objects from museums and archives across the US. Consult image details for information about usage rights.
EuroDocs
Portal to primary sources on all periods of European History. Many are transcription only (not images of the original).
German Propoganda Archive
Collection of English translations of National Socialist propaganda for the period 1933-1945.
Library of Congress Digital Collections
This resource provides digital access to a wide variety of primary source materials relating to all periods of American history, 1490-Present. The collection includes photographs, maps, posters, texts, pamphlets, sheet music, sound and video recordings, and more.

Music Online: American Music This link opens in a new window
This resource has recordings of music from every period of American history, reflecting the diversity of America's musical life. Traditional and popular genres are included, as well as spoken word and film music.
Music Online: Jazz Music Library This link opens in a new window
This resource is "the largest and most comprehensive collection of streaming jazz available online — with thousands of jazz artists, ensembles, albums, and genres" (Alexander Street Press).

Russian Posters Collection, 1919-1989
Eighty years worth of Soviet posters from Duke University.

Roper Center For Public Opinion Research This link opens in a new window
This archive contains social science data, specializing in data from surveys of public opinion.