Primary Sources Published in Book Form
Search the Local Catalog or Worldcat
- Many resources that could be primary source material have been published in book form. Adding these keywords to a search in either the Local Catalog or Worldcat can be helpful in narrowing down to primary sources: archival materials, correspondence, diaries, interviews, manuscripts, papers, personal narratives, sources.
- For example, see the results you get with this search: Spain "personal narratives" (The quotation marks tell the search engine to look for the two words together.) Many of the results are memoirs of people in the Spanish Civil War.
- If you find a book in Worlcat, and it's not a very old title, most libraries will allow you to borrow the book via our interlibrary loan service.
Digitized Books
Search a database
- Most of the following databases contain digitized versions of books.
- Most of the individual titles within these databases are also listed in the Local Catalog.
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African History and Culture (1540-1921; Readex/Newsbank)More than 1,300 books, pamphlets, almanacs, broadsides and ephemera.
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Afro-Americana Imprints (1535-1922; Readex/Newsbank)More than 12,000 printed books, pamphlets and broadsides recording African American history, literature and culture from the early 16th to the early 20th century.
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America's Historical Imprints (1639-1900; Readex/Newsbank)Books from Early American Imprints, the Evans Series (1639-1800), the Shaw-Shoemaker Series (1801-1819), and full text of broadsides, 1820-1900, (large sheets of paper usually printed on one side), and ephemera, 1760-1900 (things like invitations, lottery announcements, menus, stock certificates, etc.) from American Broadsides and Ephemera.
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ARTFL (12th-20th C.; Univ. of Chicago)Classic works of French literature, non-fiction prose, and technical writing.
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ATLA Historical Monographs Collection (13th century-1923; Ebsco)Religious and theological literature in English and other languages. NOTE: This link takes you to series 1, 13th century - 1893. You must click "choose databases" and select series 2 to see materials 1894 -1922.
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Black Authors (1556-1922; Readex/Newsbank)More than 550 works by authors of African or African-American descent. Includes personal narratives, autobiographies, histories, expedition reports, military reports, novels, essays, poems and musical compositions.
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Black Thought and Culture (1700-2006; Alexander Street Press)Non-fiction published works of over 1,000 leading African Americans, including artists, teachers, religious leaders, politicians, entertainers, and more. Includes interviews, journal articles, letters, and more. Includes Black Panther newspaper.
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Caribbean History and Culture (1535-1920; Readex/Newsbank)Covers the diverse history of Caribbean islands over nearly 400 years. Includes books, pamphlets, almanacs, broadsides and ephemera.
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Early English Books Online (EEBO, 1473-1700; Proquest)English-language books published in Great Britain or British North America.
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Early European Books (1475-1701; Proquest)All works printed in Europe before 1701, regardless of language, as well as pre-1701 works in European languages printed elsewhere.
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Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO, 1701-1800; Gale)English-language and some foreign-language books. The majority were printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States
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HathiTrust Digital LibraryShared digital repository of millions of library books and journals converted from print resources owned by research institutions around the world. HathiTrust Digital Library does not permit viewing or downloading of books that are still under copyright. NOTE: The individual titles in this database are only listed in Discover not the Local Catalog.
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Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America (16th-20th C.; Adam Matthew)Peoples of North and Central America. Materials include manuscripts, illustrations, newspapers, books, photos and maps.
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London Low Life (19th-early 20th C.; Adam Matthew)Materials relating to London, including rare books, maps, posters, advertising, playbills, ballads and broadsides, penny fiction, cartoons, Swell’s guides to London prostitution, gambling and drinking dens, tourist guides, etc.
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Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises (1800-1926; Gale)More than 21,000 Anglo-American works from casebooks, local practice manuals, form books, works for lay readers, pamphlets, letters, etc.
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Making Of Modern Law: Trials (1600-1926; Gale)Documents on Anglo-American trials including published trial transcripts; popular printed accounts of sensational trials for murder; unofficially published accounts of trials, briefs, arguments, and other trial documents; official records of legislative proceedings, administrative proceedings, and arbitration sessions; and books and pamphlets about specific trials.
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Making of the Modern World (1450-1850; Gale)(The Goldsmiths'-Kress Collection of Economic Literature.) Books, serials, pamphlets, and more.
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Nineteenth Century Collections Online (Gale)Books, newspapers, pamphlets, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, photographs, statistics, and other kinds of documents in both Western and non-Western languages. Includes four archives:
1. Asia and the West: Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange
2. British Politics and Society (History Sleuth students: This unit includes more than 400 documents on the "Jack the Ripper" killings. Scroll down to the "Whitechapel Murders Papers.")
3. British Theatre, Music, and Literature: High and Popular Culture
4. Corvey Collection of European Literature: 1790-1840. -
Overland Journeys: Travels in the West (1800-1880; Gale)Selections from the bibliographies, The Plains and Rockies: A Critical Bibliography of Exploration, Adventure, and Travel in the American West, 1800-1865 in the American West, 1800-1865 and The Trail West: A Bibliography-Index to Western.
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Sabin Americana: History of the Americas (1500–1926; Gale)Includes books, pamphlets, serials, and more.
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Women and Social Movements in the United States (1600-2000; Alexander Street Press)Historical analysis and documents related to women and social movements in the United States. Materials include books, films, archival documents, teaching tools, and more.