In the humanities, primary sources are documents, objects, or other pieces of evidence that were created during the time period under study (or after the time period in the form of memoirs or oral histories). Because they were created by people living in the period under study, primary sources provide a direct, inside look at events, attitudes, and customs.

• Our Finding and Using Primary Sources guide offers suggestions for finding primary sources by type, i.e. newspapers, periodicals, correspondence & diaries, speeches, government information, travelogues, images & motion pictures, and other online collections.

Finding primary sources can be difficult. Don’t hesitate to Ask a Librarian for help.

NOTE: If this is not what you mean by primary source, talk to your subject librarian.