Primary Source Database Collections
IDENTIFYING WHERE ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS ARE
See this database as a location tool: it will help you find out where significant collections are housed.
Note: Summary view of results is often more informative than the default list view; digitized materials from archival collections can be searched using the struing suggested on the AG front page.
ANB entries always include a bibliography that identifies where papers are kept, standard full-length biographies and often, seminal book length studies to start with.
This "catalog of library catalogs" enables you to limit your keyword search results to "Archival materials."
NEWSPAPER DATABASES (CURRENT and HISTORICAL)
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers [time coverage varies; generally, from paper's beginning to late 20th or early 2000s]
- Newspapers.com [1200 U.S. papers, many regional; dates vary]
- Chronicling America [Library of Congress; dates vary, but generally think of this as a historical archive]
- Newspaper Archive.com [good for regional and local newspaper coverage; searching not highly sophisticated, but limiters help and potential for discovery makes it worth the labor]
- Factiva [c.1980-present day]
- Nexis Uni [c.1980-present day]
- ProQuest U. S. Newsstream [c.1980-present day]
MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
- Reader's Guide Retrospective, 1890-1982
- American Periodicals [1740 - c. 1940]
- Academic Search Premier [dates vary; limit results to magazines]
Large Digitized Collections (examples)
- Internet Archive
- Hathi Trust [choose Harvard Library as the log-in, right side, top]
- DPLA (Digital Public Library of America)
Related Research Guides
This page is part of a larger research guide maintained the the Harvard Library's History Liaisons, Fred Burchsted and Anna Assogba.
- Primary Sources in IR and Political Science (Boston University Library)
Note: Some of the databases listed here may bar you from entry (since you are not a BU student). The fix? Search for the database on our Harvard page: databases.hollis.harvard.edu
- History Sources for HKS Affiliates (Harvard Kennedy School Library)
