Don't forget that newspapers, articles, and books can be primary sources too. Use those tabs as well.
Books can be primary sources either directly (example, memoirs) or by reprinting primary sources (collections of letters, documents, etc.).
Secondary Sources may list primary sources in the bibliography. If published, you may be able to borrow the item.
Not Sure Where to Start?
The best resources will depend on your topic. Scan the list for your region to see if we have something specialized that matches your country and time period, but also check the All Countries section. These resources should be helpful for any topic (everyone should try these):
This website includes not only a way to search for websites that are no longer visible, but also a number of digital texts and other materials. Search by title or author, and choose a genre from the menu tab on the right.
Search the digital collections (including scanned books) from major research university libraries. More scholarly focus than Google Books. Full-text available only for items no longer in copyright.
Use this union catalog of over 40 million books, documents, reports, and media from libraries worldwide to identify books to request via Interlibrary Loan. When viewing items, on the right hand side you will see an "Access options" that will give you a link to request the item via Interlibrary Loan. This will lead back the the Middlebury Interlibrary loan system, login with your Middlebury credentials, and submit your request.
Primary Sources - All Countries
The following resources cover multiple countries & regions. Use these AND the resources on the Country-Specific pages.
Middlebury's access includes: Asia and the West; British Politics and Society; British Theatre, Music and Literature; Children's literature and childhood; The Corvey Collection of European literature, 1790-1840; Europe and Africa: commerce, Christianity, civilization, and conquest; Mapping the world; Photography: the world through the lens; Religion, society, spirituality, and reform; Science, technology, and medicine, 1780-1925, parts 1 and 2; Women: transnational networks.
Over 100,000 books, pamphlets, essays, and broadsides published in the UK and elsewhere during the 18th century. Includes a chronology, key document gallery, and essays.
EEBO is a digital library containing about 100,000 of over 125,000 titles listed in Pollard & Redgrave's Short-Title Catalogue (1475-1640) and Wing's Short-Title Catalogue (1641-1700) and their revised editions, as well as the Thomason Tracts (1640-1661) collection and the Early English Books Tract Supplement. Major subjects include: English literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, theology, music, fine arts, education, mathematics, and science. There is some coverage of other parts of the world (British accounts or other works published or translatedin English).
EEBO is a digital library containing about 100,000 of over 125,000 titles listed in Pollard & Redgrave's Short-Title Catalogue (1475-1640) and Wing's Short-Title Catalogue (1641-1700) and their revised editions, as well as the Thomason Tracts (1640-1661) collection and the Early English Books Tract Supplement. Major subjects include: English literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, theology, music, fine arts, education, mathematics, and science. There is some coverage of other parts of the world (British accounts or other works published or translatedin English).
On Login page, select "Log in through your Institution", then find "Middlebury College and Institute Libraries." U.K. Parliamentary Papers provides complete online coverage of the sessional papers of the British House of Commons and the 19th Century House of Lords. It includes detailed primary source for the history of Britain, its colonies, and the wider world. It covers working documents of government for all areas of social, political, economic and foreign policy.
A database containing over 500,000 pages of declassified documents gathered through the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The DNSA archive contains a range of policy documents including presidential memos, meeting notes, briefing papers, White House communications, email, letters, and other secret material detailing U.S.foreign and military policy since 1945. Topics include the Koreas, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cuba, nuclear proliferation, among many others. See also smaller open access version from George Washington University.
Digital library of multilingual, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world. Developed by UNESCO and the U.S. Library of Congress with materials from institutions around the world.
U.S. State Department - Document record of major policy decisions, 1861-1970s. Only Recent volumes are online (Truman +) For earlier print editions see: Main Library JX233 .A3 and Govt Docs. For editions back to 1861 see the Univ. of Wisconsin Digital Collections.
Reprinted British documents. Includes Imperial Policy and Colonial Practice, 1925-1945; The Labour Government and the End of Empire, 1945-1951;The Conservative Government and the End of Empire, 1951-1957; Ghana; Egypt and the Defence of the Middle East.
A number of parliamentary documents and papers can be found in some of our online archive subscriptions and books listed in midcat. Click on title to run a MIDCAT author search: Great Britain. Parliament.
This wiki lists example resources that can be found searching MIDCAT. It is not a comprehensive listing of all primary source material. Most of these resources are re-published in books or on microfilm. A few online resources are included if they are part of our subscriptions.
Center for Research Libraries (CRL) resources available for us to borrow via Interlibrary Loan. Includes major microfilm collections of primary source material. Topic Guides include China; Japan; Korea; South Asian Studies; Southeast Asian Studies among other topics. Search the CRL catalog to find additional resources.
From Columbia University. Educational resources for teachers and students including museum resources, modules on Song and Qing Dynasty, China & Europe, the Mongols in World History, and more.
Digital library of multilingual, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world. Developed by UNESCO and the U.S. Library of Congress with materials from institutions around the world.
Scholarly reviews of online primary source archives; guides for analyzing and interpreting primary sources; and case studies for teaching. Browse sources by region and time period.
