Primary Sources

Understanding Primary Sources Digital Collections Newspapers Books Citing Sources

What are primary sources?

Primary

Sources

Original materials that provide direct evidence or firsthand information about a topic, event, person, or time period.

Created at the time of the event, or by individuals who experienced or witnessed the subject being studied.

Examples

Text-based sources:

Diaries and journals
Letters and correspondence
Speeches and interviews
Manuscripts and autobiographies
Newspapers and magazines (from the time period)
Journal articles with original research (new findings and information about a study's methodology, results, and conclusion)

Visual sources:

Photographs and paintings
Maps and cartographic material
Films and videos
Drawings and sketches

Audio sources:

Oral histories, interviews
Sound recordings
Music and songs

Physical objects:

Artifacts
Tools and equipment
Architectural structures

Secondary
Sources

Interpretations, analyses, or summaries of primary sources.

Provide an understanding or argument about a topic using primary sources.

Examples

Textbooks
Synthesize information, theories, and research findings to provide an overview or analysis of a subject.

Biographies
Books or articles that narrate the life, experiences, and impact of a particular individual, drawing from primary and secondary sources.

Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Reference works that provide concise information, explanations, and background on various subjects, compiling knowledge from various sources.

Literature reviews
Academic papers or sections within research papers that summarize and analyze the current state of knowledge on a particular topic, often found in scholarly articles.

Documentaries
Films or videos that present a narrative, analysis, or interpretation of historical events, scientific discoveries, or cultural phenomena.

Commentaries and opinions
Articles, essays, or blogs that offer personal perspectives, critiques, or opinions on various subjects or current events.

Literary criticism
Academic articles or books that analyze and interpret literature, including discussions on themes, characters, writing styles, and historical or cultural contexts.

Critical analysis in art and music
Academic writings that analyze, interpret, or critique works of art, music compositions, or performances.

Policy Papers and Reports
Documents that analyze and propose solutions or recommendations regarding societal issues, government policies, or organizational strategies.

Determining whether a source is primary or secondary depends on the subject being studied. For example, consider: Did the creator of the material experience or witness the event being studied? During what time period was the material created?

More information on primary sources can be found through the following:

Find primary sources online and through library databases:

Below is a select list of resources which include a range of digitized primary sources, such as government documents, books, prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, ephemera, videos, webpages and more.

Library of Congress
National library of the United States and world's largest library.

Digital Collections External link

Classroom Materials External link

Research Guides External link

National Archives and Records Administration
As the record keeper of the United States, NARA maintains important materials and documents created by the federal government.

Milestone Documents External link

DocsTeach External link

Digital Public Library of America External link
Access to materials from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions across the United States.

Europeana External link
Access to materials from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions across Europe.

New York Public Library Digital Collections External link
Access to materials from NYPL's collections, which include many cultures and time periods.

New York Heritage Digital Collections External link
Access to materials from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions throughout New York State.

New York State Archives Digital Collections External link
Access to records from New York’s colonial and state governments.

New-York Historical Society Digital Library External link
Access to materials from the NYHS collections.

Smithsonian

Digital Collections External link

Archives of American Art External link

Umbra Search External link
Access to African American History materials from archives, libraries, and museums across the United States.

National Library of Medicine Digital Collections External link
Access to materials from the NLM collections, including the areas of biomedicine, health care, and the history of medicine.

JSTOR External link
Includes primary sources across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Access with FSC login. Use filters to select primary source content.

Britannica Academic External link
Encyclopedia articles across all subjects, including a filter for primary sources. Access with FSC login.

Lists of additional online primary sources:

Newspapers

Newspapers could be considered to be either primary or secondary sources depending on the topic at hand. When reporting on events or issues as they happen in real-time, newspapers serve as primary sources. For example, a newspaper from April 16, 1912 could be considered a primary source on the subject of the Titanic.

Newspapers would be considered secondary sources when they analyze events that occurred in the past.

New York Times, Times Machine External link
Scans of original full pages dating back to 1851 (search by date). Use login for NYT Academic Pass (create account here External link).

Chronicling America External link
Historical newspapers from the Library of Congress, 1770-1963.

New York State Historic Newspapers External link

Greenley Library Newspaper Research Guide
Additional resources for accessing newspapers

Books

Primary sources in Greenley Library catalog External link

List of Greenley Library books that contain primary sources. This list is not exhaustive; you may search for additional primary sources in the catalog.

Locating primary sources

Greenley Library Catalog External link

Catalog search Tips:

Try using the following search terms in combination with your topic:
- Diaries
- Letters
- Manuscripts
- Personal narratives
- Memoirs
Limit material type to "books"
Try changing the date range to the time period being studied
Try searching for the historical figure being studied as the author/creator
Use references listed in secondary sources to identify primary sources on the subject being studied

Locating books in the public domain

The below websites provide access to public domain books and book-like materials (magazines, newspapers, sheet music, journals, government documents) across many subjects.

Public domain:

U.S. federal government documents
Published in the U.S. more than 95 years ago
Published outside the U.S. more than 125 years ago

More details on U.S. copyright:

U.S. Copyright Office External link

Center for the Study of Public Domain External link

Citing primary sources

Chicago Citation Style

MLA Citation Style

Greenley Library video: Creating citations in Google Docs External link (for MLA and Chicago author-date citation styles)

RESEARCH HELP | Have a question? Librarians External link are available to assist you during all open hours.

Thomas D. Greenley Library

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Primary Sources

What are primary sources?

Primary

Sources

Examples

SecondarySources

Examples

Find primary sources online and through library databases:

Newspapers

Books

Primary sources in Greenley Library catalog External link

Locating primary sources

Greenley Library Catalog External link

Catalog search Tips:

Locating books in the public domain

Citing primary sources

Chicago Citation Style

MLA Citation Style

Thomas D. Greenley Library

SPRING HOURS

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Secondary
Sources