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Research Tips
All Schlesinger Library materials are cataloged in HOLLIS so searching the catalog is a good place to start. Note that by using the advanced search you can easily limit your searches to the Schlesinger Library and to the format you want (i.e., books; archives/manuscripts; journals; etc.). Be sure to select the "Library Catalog" option at the top of the search box. (Hint: You will find the option to limit to archives/manuscripts under "Material Type," and the option to limit to Schlesinger under "Search Scope"--the default is "All locations" but you can switch to a particular library).
Experiment with keyword searches to find archival materials in library collections that relate to your research interest. Some examples of keyword searches you might try, after limiting your search to Archives/Manuscripts and Schlesinger Library, include:
- "UN Decade for Women"
- Abolition* AND women
- trafficking OR sex work
To increase search results, seek out synonyms for the keyword or subject you used. For instance, a manifesto might also be described as:
- position paper
- resolution
- platform
- declaration
- charter
- statement of purpose
These types of documents are often found in records of local and national women’s organizations. And there are more than 500 manuscript collections of women’s organizations at the Schlesinger Library! Here is a link to the full list.
In addition to the manuscript collections, there will also be published documents categorized as books in the HOLLIS catalog. One example is the Charter and By-laws of the New Century Club. The New Century Club in Philadelphia is one of the first women's clubs in the United States. Their charter and by-laws describe who they were, what their group goals were, and how they would function.
The Charter of the New Century Club is part of a larger collection, the "History of Women," which is available on microfilm at the Library and through the Nineteenth Century Collections – Women: Transnational Networks database. We can assist you if you have questions about how to navigate the microfilm, the Women: Transnational Networks database, or a different database.
Please visit or contact us if you have questions about how to find items in databases, the HOLLIS catalog, or would like to set up a time to talk in more detail about your research.