Research Guide: Primary Sources

This guide was created to help you learn more about primary sources

Finding Visual Images

Featured collection

The image below is a good example of a primary source. The New York Public Library's Digital Collection has many primary sources just like this. Try the link below to search their collection. 

image of an old manuscript


Image source: Spencer Collection, The New York Public Library. "Qur'ân" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1333. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8d2c5767-51f4-f6f5-e040-e00a18063932

Guide to different types of primary sources

Searching a variety of sources

The links below are grouped by type. These are just a few examples of where you can locate audio and visual primary sources.


Finding moving pictures and audio recordings

Searching for content in YouTube
Tip for finding primary sources:

Search for your topic/event by name AND include one of the following words:
newsreel, archival, clip, footage, interview, speech

Examples:

Examples of historic films


Source: "Video: Dating Do's and Don'ts (1949)" by Coronet Instructional Films, is in the public domain Educational use.