Locating Primary Resources – Social Studies & History

 What are primary resources?

 The definitions provided at the following sites should help you better understand the types of resources you are looking for.

• The Learning Page The Library of Congress

• Using Primary Sources on the Web  American Library Association – Reference & User Services Association – History Section

 
Locating Primary Resources on the Web

As digitization projects abound, the availability of primary resources on the Web is increasing rapidly.  The following are some sites that may assist you in locating primary resources in social studies and history.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it will give you a good starting point.

•  Social Studies Methods – Related Websites  
  Dr. Maureen Kincaid, Assistant Professor of Education, North Central College

• The Learning Page – Internet Resources – U.S. History – Primary Source Collections
  The Library of Congress

• Finding Primary Sources on the Web
  American Library Association – Reference & User Services Association – History Section

• Internet Resources – U.S. History: Primary and Secondary Sources
  Association of College & Research Libraries, College & Research Libraries News

• NHD- National History Day – Research Central
  Scroll down to view the section on Primary Sources on the Web.  Of particular note are: 
  §         U.S. History Primary Sources and Major Websites
  §         Pictures and Other Images

You may wish to also use a search engine or directory to try to locate information on a narrow topic or to locate a specific document.  You will want to use very specific terminology for this type of search (for example, “Montgomery Bus Boycott” rather than “Civil Rights”).  The Oesterle Library web site, under the category of Web Resources, provides links to many directories and search engines.

 
Locating Primary Resources Through the Oesterle Library Web Site

 CardinalCat

 CardinalCat is the catalog for Oesterle Library.  A well constructed keyword or subject search can yield primary resources held in our collection. You will be particularly interested in materials

• authored by persons who were directly involved in the event or time in history that you are researching
  • keywords to watch for include diaries, correspondence, memoirs
• that provide video or audio coverage of the event, or in which a direct participant is speaking about the event

By using the I-Share button on the top left portion of the CardinalCat search screen, you can expand your search to the holdings of the 64 other Illinois academic libraries that belong to CARLI.  Using the Request button, you are able to request that an item be sent to North Central for your use.  Please note that you will be asked to provide your library ID, which is the 14 digit number underneath your barcode on your North Central College ID card. 

For further assistance in using CardinalCat for searching Oesterle Library holdings or in searching or requesting materials from other CARLI libraries, contact the staff member at the Reference Desk (x5715).

 
NEWSPAPERS/PERIODICALS

The following resources are available to you through Oesterle Library:

•  Proquest Historical Newspapers: New York Times
  Provides online access to the New York Times back to the first issue in 1857.  

• Facts.com
  Online Fact On File database which includes selected archival coverage of news reports back to 1940 as well as selected historical documents.

• Poole's Index to Periodical Literature  (call number I. 050 P78)
  Nineteenth Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature  (call number I. 050 R22n)
  Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature  (call number I. 050 R22t)
  • All located on the index tables behind the Reference Desk, these volumes provide indexing of a variety of periodicals from 1802 through 1993 (by which time other online databases are available).