Good for: Reading classical Greek and Latin works with English translations.
Contains: Classical works with translations.
Good for: First hand accounts of European exploration, trade and colonization worldwide using primary sources.
Contains: Manuscripts, maps, illustrated documents, diaries, and ship logs.
Dates covered: 1420-1920.
Good for: Finding primary source records of Native American and indigenous groups in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Contains: Manuscripts, artwork, and rare printed books.
Dates covered: 1400-1950s.
Good for: Reading letters about medieval family life, business, relationships, trade, politics, and community.
Contains: Archive of correspondence.
Dates covered: 1400-1500.
Good for: Studying journeys to central Asia and the Far East.
Contains: Manuscripts from European travelers.
Dates covered: 1200s-1500s.
Good for: Studying significant British historical documents.
Contains: Primary sources like treaties, statutes, declarations, government and cabinet proceedings, plus editorial commentary.
Dates covered: 476-1914.
Lost Letters of Medieval Life
by
These collections reprint letters and diary entries that have been previously published in books. Use the Browse Indexes to find references to specific historical or life events.
Good for: Researching the lives of women in Great Britain and Ireland.
Contains: Women's letters and diaries.
Dates covered: 1500-1900.
Good for: Exploring the lives and experiences of North American women.
Contains: Diaries, journals, and letters.
Dates covered: 1770-1950.
Use the date range limit to narrow your search to a relevant time period.
Good for: Accounts of life, culture and historical events reported in newspapers from every U.S. state.
Contains: Historical newspapers.
Dates covered: 1690-1923.
Good for: Finding newspaper reports about life, culture and historical events published in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.
Contains: National and regional newspapers representing multiple political and cultural views.
Dates covered: 1732-1950.
Good for: Researching British essays, news and events from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Contains: Newspapers, pamphlets, proclamations, and newsbooks.
Dates covered: 1603-1800.
Good for: Researching British essays, news and events from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Contains: British newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, and broadsheets.
Dates covered: 1672-1737.
Good for: Learning about life and trade in colonial America.
Contains: The South Carolina Gazette newspaper.
Dates covered: 1732-1775; 1777-1780.
Good for: Finding articles from The Times (London).
Contains: The Times newspaper.
Dates covered: 1785-2019.
Search for articles published in popular magazines and journals from different times in history.
Good for: Searching American magazines and journals published mostly before 1900.
Contains: Magazines and journals.
Dates covered: 1740-1940.
Good for: Searching articles in magazines about British culture and society.
Contains: Popular British periodicals, mostly from the 19th century.
Dates covered: 1681-1920.
Good for: Finding out about 18th-century British and Irish culture through magazines and newspapers.
Contains: Literary, satirical, political, religious and theatrical publications from England, Ireland, Scotland, India and the Caribbean.
Dates covered: 1685-1835.
Collections of several types of primary sources curated around a topic or theme.
Good for: Exploring colonial history, politics, culture and society from British and European perspectives.
Contains: Primary sources from archival collections.
Dates covered: 1492-1969.
Good for: Studying European colonization in North America, Africa, and Australasia.
Contains: Primary sources like expedition records, letters, diaries, and government records.
Dates covered: 1650-1920.
Good for: Finding primary source records of Native American and indigenous groups in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Contains: Manuscripts, artwork, and rare printed books.
Dates covered: 1400-1950s.
Good for: Consulting classic French and Italian literature and non-fiction for literary or linguistic research.
Contains: French and Italian books and encyclopedias, most from the 18th century and earlier.
Digitized collections of books published during different time periods.
Good for: Researching early English literature and culture.
Contains: Most extant printed books in English published before 1700.
Dates covered: 1475-1700.
Good for: Researching 18th-century English literature and culture.
Contains: Most extant books published in English.
Dates covered: 1701-1800.
Good for: Finding primary source materials on exploration, trade, colonialism, slavery and abolition, the western movement, Native Americans, military actions, and more.
Contains: Historical books, pamphlets, serials and other documents about North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Dates covered: 1500-1926.
Good for: Reading publications that document early American history and culture.
Contains: Books, pamphlets, and broadsides.
Dates covered: 1639-1800.
Good for: Access to nearly any public domain (pre-1929) book owned and scanned by a library.
Contains: Digitized books.
On the web
In a search engine, add the term
"digital collections"
to your search to uncover collections of primary sources digitized by archives, libraries and cultural heritage organizations.
Reprinted in books
In a library catalog, in the advanced search form, find the Subject: field and add the term
sources
to find primary source collections reprinted in books.
