History Primary Sources  

"Primary sources are original records created at the time historical events occurred or well after events in the form of memoirs and oral histories. Primary sources may include letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, documents produced by government agencies such as Congress or the Office of the President, photographs, audio recordings, moving pictures or video recordings, research data, and objects or artifacts such as works of art or ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons. These sources serve as the raw material to interpret the past, and when they are used along with previous interpretations by historians, they provide the resources necessary for historical research." (Source: Using Primary Sources on the Web, a website created by the History Section of the American Library Association)

Primary sources are available in paper and digital formats.  

• Library Catalogs: Most primary sources are in paper format.
  
  • You can find these print documents through Walsh's library catalog and through the OhioLINK catalog.  

• Databases: Primary sources are also available through databases provided by Walsh library. 
  
  • These databases contain digital reproductions of manuscripts, pamphlets, books, images and more.

• Special Collections: Local and national historical societies, museums, archives, and libraries have repositories of archival material.
  
  • Example: Ohio Historical Soceity and Ohio State's Cartoon Collection.

• Digital Format: Many sources are now available free online. Different state agencies, historical societies and museums are scanning their collections for public use.
  
  • Example: American Memory Project.

Use the tabs above to find primary sources on your topics.