Primary Sources Published as Books
Many times personal papers or memoirs will be collected, edited and published as a book. These can be found using library catalogs and other book search tools.
If you have the names of historical figures and other people related to your interest, you can search on their names as authors.
Subject and keyword searches on your topic will bring up primary sources along with secondary. You may need to browse through them to identify which ones include primary source material. If you have a very large results list you may want to add terms to your search as follows:
| Subject terms for primary sources in the catalog: | All Fields terms for primary sources: |
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Books and e-Books
- Selected Primary Sources from the Library CatalogClick on + ADD A NEW LINE and enter the subject you're searching for, then click the green SEARCH link on the right
- WorldCat This link opens in a new windowDatabase created from the online catalogs of books, media and other materials located in many libraries worldwide. (This is NOT AN INDEX FOR ARTICLES). Use to identify titles that you may be able to borrow through Interlibrary Loan (ILLIAD).
- Digital Public Library of AmericaA dynamic and growing collection of digitized materials from collections nation-wide.
- Internet ArchiveThis digital repository now includes books, other text, audio and video. Many of the books can be downloaded into e-reader formats as well as PDF.
- Hathi Trust Digital LibraryOnline access to over 4 million books collected and digitized by a partnership of major research institutions and libraries. Learn how to download ebooks to your device.
- Google BooksThe Google Books Library Project has scanned thousands of older books, including primary source materials. Learn how to download ebooks to your device.
