What are Primary Sources?

A primary source is a document or even a physical object, such as a Native American basket, which was written or created during a particular time period. These first-hand sources can provide insight into that time period or event, sometimes by bringing a sense of immediacy. Primary sources are:

• Documents or objects created by its originator

• From the viewpoint of a participant or observer

• Not in interpreted or translated form

Examples:

• Newspaper articles from the library's databases of historical American newspapers
• Description of the Lewis and Clark expedition by one of the explorers on the expedition
• Diary of Anne Frank
• Magazine, newspaper articles, and ads published at a particular historical time
• A Promised Land, a memoir, written by Barack Obama
• A journal article reporting NEW research or findings
• Government documents
• Correspondence

The library provides access to publications with primary sources documents or about primary documents. You can use ONESEARCH to locate both online and print materials. By clicking on the Advanced Search option, you can add more subject terms to narrow your search. Below are some examples of print books with primary sources in the library's collection:

Students can still borrow books from the library during the closure by reserving titles and picking them up on campus. Information is at Curbside Pick-up. During the pandemic, students may borrow most reference books.

Historical newspapers are useful primary sources because they reflect how an event or idea was written about during that specific period in time. When reviewing old documents and newspapers, you should remember that they will reflect the views and attitudes of that time period and may contain offensive terminology or ideas. For example, American Indians are regularly referred to as "savages" in early newspapers. However, it is essential to retain these publications, even if they are offensive, as a record and proof of the thoughts, actions, and ideas of that time period for students, researchers, and history buffs.

Käsebier, Gertrude, photographer. Unidentified American Indian. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2006679592/>.

Since this database is not included in ONESEARCH, you will have to search it on its own. You can search America's Historical Newspapers using keywords or by browsing its timeline. Here are some results found after browsing the timeline to find Trail of Tears.