Finding sources
Primary sources are first hand evidence or records of the time. They may take the form of diaries, letters, interviews, speeches, photographs, posters, pamphlets and official records.
They can give you a first-hand account of what life was like during the event or time you're looking at, and show you what people thought and felt about the world.
Secondary sources (eg. books and journal articles) discuss, interpret, analyse, summarise or criticise primary sources.
To find primary sources in Library Search, use the keywords for your assignment e.g. history, modern and then add "Sources".
Reading primary sources (online) by Publication Date: 2009
Databases
- Archives direct : sources from the National Archives, UKArchives Direct is a suite of collections sourced from The National Archives, Kew - the UK government's official archive.
- Early English books onlineFrom the first book printed in English by William Caxton, through the age of Spenser and Shakespeare and the tumult of the English Civil War, Early English Books Online (EEBO) contains over 125 000 English titles from the period 1473-1700.
- Early experiences in Australasia : primary sources and personal narratives 1788-1901Provides a unique and personal view of events in the region from the arrival of the first settlers through to Australian Federation at the close of the nineteenth century.
- Empire onlineContains images of primary source material taken from libraries and archives worldwide. Africa, the Americas, Australasia, Oceania and South Asia are covered. Also included are five thematic sections with essays by leading scholars.
- Eighteenth century collections onlineThis collections aims to include every significant English-language and foreign-language title printed in the United Kingdom, and other works from the Americas, between 1701 and 1800.
- The First World WarDigital images of primary source documents from the Great War including diaries, letters, personal narratives, trench journals, scrapbooks, objects, and visual sources - and well as primary source materials of propaganda and recruitment.
- Gale news vaultSimultaneously search or browse across the following archives: Times Digital Archive, 17th-18th century Burney collection newspapers, 19th century British Library newspapers. Parts 1 and 2, TLS historical archive, Illustrated London news historical archive, Economist historical archive, Listener historical archive
- Medieval family lifeContains full-color images of the original medieval manuscripts that comprise the Paston, Cely, Plumpton, Stonor, and Armburgh family letter collections.
- Nineteenth century collections onlineContent is sourced from the world's preeminent libraries and archives and consists of monographs, newspapers, pamphlets, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, photographs, statistics, and other kinds of documents in both Western and non-Western languages from the period.
- Project GutenbergProvides access to a compilation of public domain literature digitally re-published. Presents electronic texts of classic literature, historical documents, religious works, and reference tools
- Sixties : Primary documents and personal narratives 1960 - 1974The Sixties brings the 1960s alive through diaries, letters, autobiographies and other memoirs, written and oral histories, manifestos, government documents, memorabilia, and scholarly commentary. This searchable collection is an electronic resource for students and scholars researching this period in American history, culture, and politics.
International websites
- Google Cultural InstituteThe Institute helps to preserve and promote culture online via three files - Art Project of art collections from around the world, the World Wonders Project of modern and ancient world heritage sites and Historic Moments - online exhibitions detailing the stories behind significant moments in history using documents, photos, videos and, in some cases, personal accounts of events
- European Film GatewayA single access point to films, images and texts from selected collections of 30 film archives across Europe of photos, posters, programmes, periodicals, censorship documents, rare feature and documentary films, newsreels and other materials. Targeted at researchers it offers a view of filmmaking in Europe from the early days until today.