HIST 300: Find it! Tips for Locating Primary Sources and Images LIBRARIANS: MW morning class: Pete Ramsey Wed night class: Catherine Johnson

Search Assignment Average grade: 88% – Lenient with mistakes, as long as you tried Most Common Mistakes: – Search Statements – Reference Sources – Subject Headings

Review Name three kinds of Primary Sources. What is meant by “authority” when discussing a journal article? What is one way Archives protect their collections? What is a gazetteer? Have you found any interesting history websites lately?

Today Finding Primary Sources Historic Images – Finding them – Evaluating them Wrap up!

Finding Primary Sources: Tips 1.What types of primary materials might have been produced? – Printed materials (documents, letters, photos) – Physical items (art, architecture, textiles) 2.Who would have produced them? 3.Who would have used them?

4.When would the primary sources have been produced? 5. Would they have been published, unpublished, or represented in another form (i.e. audiotape of an interview)? Finding Primary Sources: 2

6.What would historians of that period have used to do their research? 7.Why does this source still exist? Why was it important enough for someone to preserve? Finding Primary Sources: 3

(See pages in Presnell) Books in the library catalog – Include type of primary source in your search: (“World War II” OR WWII) AND memoir Articles in magazines, journals, newspapers: – Especially for material before radio/TV invented – Use databases and indexes to find these Published Primary Sources

Manuscripts – Letters and correspondence – Personal writings Archives/Special Collections searching – Search by name for the person – Search library/archive catalogs in the place they lived – Search catalogs near where they worked Biographical sources (see pages ) – May list archive where someone’s papers are collected Other great archive searches: pages Unpublished Primary Sources

Not just federal…state & local documents, too! Usually organized by government agency, ministry, or department – May have to search by the organization name Foreign documents can be really tough – UN, EU, and UK are easiest (but still hard) Search resources: pages Ask Mike Kiel, Reference/Instruction Librarian Government Documents

What type of image is it? What is the social context? Historical context? What may have happened before and after the image was created? What’s outside the frame? Evaluating Images: 1

Any gender, race, or class issues brought up? Has the image creator addressed them? How do the people in the image relate to any objects in the image? How did the photographer or artist set up the image? (Angle, lighting, focus) How does this change audience perception (then and now)? Evaluating Images: 2

Basically: – When was the image created? – Who created it? – Why did they create it? To express their philosophy or viewpoint? To convey a message about an event or object? – What was the context of the image? Cultural/social context, historical context Evaluating Images: 3

In the catalog: – Find a book or two about your topic – In the catalog record, look for the abbreviation “il.” or “illus.” (means illustration/s) Finding Historic Images: in books – OR, limit your search using the subject “pictorial works” (using an extra row on the advanced search screen) – Also…in the book, look for list of illustrations or image index

Learn about formats (p. 191) Learn about copyright (p. 201) – Find collections – List of them on p (lots of free ones!) – i.e. New York Public Library Digital ImagesNew York Public Library Digital Images Finding Historic Images: Online

2.Search the collection – Make sure the collection will have things on your topic…don’t search the American Memory collection for British Lords in India – Be specific…sort by date/time period – Use search tools (NYPL has browse by topic) Historic Images Online: 2

Searching Image Databases List of good ones on p. 189 – Example: Use the advanced search option – Look at what it has to offer! Describe the object in your search Limit by type of image, if desired Historic Images Online: 3

Thanks! I’ve learned a lot doing this. Evaluations (I’ll send to Dr. Nix…optional) Librarians are here to help! – One-on-one meetings (no grades for those!) – Reference desk any time Wrap Up

Image Credits Baltimore postcard Baltimore: About content/uploads/2008/11/balt011.jpghttp://baltimorecityhistory.net/wp- content/uploads/2008/11/balt011.jpg Baltimore Post Office E. A. Poe picture Baltimore Stamp gif gif Illuminated Manuscript: Druid Hill Park postcard: Patterson Park painting: