Primary Sources Research Guide

You can find collections of primary sources in library catalogs, such as Discover or World Cat.

Like every other item in the catalog, these collections are assigned standardized subject headings or subheadings, making them easier to find.

To locate primary sources in a library catalog, it is best to use the "Advanced Search" feature. Enter keywords for your topic in the first search box, and the subject headings for the kind of source you are looking for in the second search box.

Example:

Common subject headings for primary sources include:

• Archival Resources
• Archives
• Correspondence [note: use this if you are looking for letters]
• Diaries
• Interviews
• Notebooks, sketchbooks
• Personal narratives
• Photographs
• Pictorial works
• Sources
• Speeches

For a more exhaustive list, with examples, see MIT Libraries' page on primary source subject headings.