Finding Primary Sources at Kresge Library
A primary source is one that contains firsthand information about the topic in question, taken from someone who directly experienced what they're talking about.
Kresge Library has many books that contain primary sources. For example:
This is the diary of a prominent white lawyer in the South in the 1950s. The diary has been reprinted from the original.
To find such books, select the "advanced search" function when using Library OneSearch (red box, below).
1. Enter "sources" in the first box, and select subject terms from the dropdown menu.
2. Enter your keywords in the second box (e.g., "slavery," as in the example below). Click "search."
A set of results that include specifically primary sources will be listed in catalog's search results page. To further limit your results to primary/archival sources, you can use the filters on the left side of the results list. Under the Source Types limiter, select "Primary Source Documents" from the listing.
A new list of results will be generated, with only primary source documents as part of the results. Check for the "Primary Source Document" identifier at the top of each item to confirm this status.
Access to these items may not be available digitally, so be sure to review the catalog record for each individual item for specific access information. Check to ensure that the "Available at OU Libraries" filter has been selected, so that you can review items that are available through Kresge Library (either physically, digitally, or both).
A new list of resources will be generated that are tagged with this source type. You can always readjust your source type filters and/or keywords as needed - here are other terms you can try, beside "sources":
- Photography
- Personal narratives
- Interviews
- Correspondence
- Sermons
- Diaries
- Songs and music
- Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.
- Facsimiles
- Records and correspondence
- Manuscripts