LibGuides: History: Discovering archives

Online Collections

The magic words to include in your google search for finding online primary source collections are digital collections.

e.g. presidential campaigns digital collections

These sites are excellent starting points for discovering the millions of historical resources available online.

Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world.
National Archives Online Public Access Search
Start your search of the National Archives here; this includes all NARA resources including teaching materials, blogs and archival records.
American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page
Fantastic large collection of digitized images, documents, sound files and more from the Library of Congress.
Smithsonian Institution
Online collections and datasets
Docs Teach (National Archive)
Digitized primary source documents from the National Archives, plus classroom activities and lesson plan suggestions for teachers.
History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web
Search descriptions and reviews of history-related online primary source collections and exhibits. Excellent directory of US history related web sites.

Archives & Special Collections at UNLV

UNLV Special Collections & Archives Portal
New search portal allows searching of digitized special collections materials as well as finding aids for physical collections.
View manuscript collections by subject

Finding Collections

Search for archives and collections

ArchiveGrid
ArchiveGrid includes over 5 million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. With over 1,000 different archival institutions represented, ArchiveGrid helps researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies.
SNAC Cooperative
Social Networks and Archival Context helps users discover biographical and historical information about persons, families, and organizations that created or are documented in historical resources (primary source documents) and their connections to one another. Users can locate archival collections and related resources held at cultural heritage institutions around the world.

National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections This link opens in a new window
Records of primary source material in archival and manuscript cataloging in the OCLC union catalog.
Search records of primary source material in archival and manuscript cataloging in the RLG and OCLC union catalogs. The mission of the NUCMC program is to provide and promote bibliographic access to the nation's documentary heritage. This mission is realized by NUCMC production of cataloging describing archival and manuscript collections held by eligible repositories located throughout the United States and its territories.
WorldCat This link opens in a new window
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11th century -
Use WorldCat to search the holdings of academic, public and special libraries around the world.
This union catalog contains records of books and other items in libraries worldwide. Items owned by UNLV Libraries are indicated; UNLV students, faculty and staff may request books via Document Delivery Services.

Directory of Corporate Archives in the US and Canada
National Archives & Records Administration
Search federal government records

Examples of regional cooperative catalogs

Archives West
Archives West provides access to descriptions of primary sources in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and northern Utah, including correspondence, diaries or photographs. Digital reproductions of the materials are available in some cases.
ArchivesHub (UK)
Search across descriptions of archives, including links to digital content, held at over 300 institutions across the UK.

Search online resources

Digital Public Library of America
The DPLA is a discovery tool, or union catalog, for public domain and openly licensed content held by the United States' archives, libraries, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions.
Mountain West Digital Library
Free access to digitized resources from universities, colleges, public libraries, museums, historical societies, and government agencies, counties, and municipalities in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, and other parts of the U.S. West.

Advice from researchers

Archives Made Easy wiki
Another wiki listing international archives with tips from researchers who have used them.

Congressional Records

Congressional Publications (Proquest Congressional)
ProQuest Congressional offers comprehensive access to U.S. legislative information, including access to many full-text Congressional publications, bills, laws, regulations, committee information, and more.
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Includes U.S. Serials Set Digital Collection.

The more you know about existing government records, the easier time you will have locating them.

You can search indexes of congressional documents online using Congressional Publications (ProQuest Congressional) or FDsys (formerly GPO Access).

An alternate approach is to use the CQ Electronic Library to read summaries and legislative histories written by journalists in publications like Congressional Quarterly (CQ) Weekly. Those summaries can lead you to particular reports and hearing transcripts that can be located either online or in the microfiche Serials Set collection.

Congressional Information for Historians
Overview of subject indexes and online availability of Congressional publications from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University Library.

GPO's Federal Digital System This link opens in a new window
FDsys. Index of items published by the US Government Printing Office.

LibGuides @ BC: Congressional Publications - Home
Guide from Boston College documents what kind of publications exist and where they can be found. Excellent overview of coverage by date for various resources. Links go to BC resources, but UNLV has equivalents.

History

Online Collections

Archives & Special Collections at UNLV

Finding Collections

Congressional Records

Locations

Contact