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Small Library Logo

M A I N   L I B R A R Y
200 West Park Avenue
Tallahassee, FL 32301  
(850) 606-2665
TDD (850) 606-2603

For Branch Locations and Hours, Click Here.


Primary Sources

A primary source is material that was written or produced at the time period that is being studied. Some primary sources are letters, speeches, diaries, newspaper and magazine articles from the time, oral history interviews, documents, photographs, artifacts or anything else the provides first hand evidence about a person, thing, place or event. Examples of primary documents are The Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King’s speeches. Here are a few of our reference books that can be used as primary sources:

  • American Decades Primary Sources (R 973.91 AME) 10 volumes covers 1900-1999.
  • The Annals of America (21 volumes) (R 973.08 ANN)
  • The Civil War: A History in Documents (R 909 SEI)
  • The Cold War: A History in Documents (R 909 WIN)
  • The Depression and New Deal : A History in Documents (R 973.91 MCE)
  • Encounters in the New World: A History in Documents (R 909 ENC)
  • The Gilded Age: A History in Documents (R 909 GIL)
  • Imperialism: A History in Documents (R 909 SMI)
  • In Our Own Words: Extraordinary Speeches of the American Century (R 815.508 IN)
  • Let Freedom Ring: A Documentary History of the Modern Civil Rights Movement (R 323.1 LET)
  • The Negro in American History (R 301.451 NEG)
  • Page One: One Hundred Years of Headlines as Presented in the New York Times (R 909.82 PAG)
  • The Struggle Against Slavery: A History in Documents (R 909 WAL)
  • World War I: A History in Documents (R 909 COE)

Reference books in Youth Services

  • American Civil Rights: Primary Sources (J R 305.8 PHI)
  • American Civil War: Primary Sources (J R 973.7 HIL)
  • Colonial America: Primary Sources (J R 973.2 AME)
  • Renaissance & Reformation: Primary sources (J R 940.21 REN)
  • Vietnam War: Primary Sources (J R 959.7043 HIL)
  • Westward Expansion: Primary Sources (J R 978 PEN)
  • Women's Suffrage: A Primary Source History of the Women's Rights Movement in America (J R 305.42 ADA)
  • World War I: Primary Sources (J R 940.3 PEN)
  • World War II: Primary Sources (J R 940.53 WOR)

Magazines/Newspapers

Articles from these sources only apply if they are first-hand accounts; written by an eyewitness or participant in an event or time period. The main library keeps 5 years of most magazines. In addition, the following may have articles which can be used as primary sources (all magazines are shelved in the magazine section in alphabetical order by title):

  • American Heritage (1955 - Current) This is a magazine rich with historical information. Much is primary, but some is secondary. An index is shelved next to the magazin class="content">Look (April 1965-Oct. 1971 (incomplete)
  • National Geographic (1914-Current)
  • Newsweek (1959-1970; 1976-Current; 1956 - 1984 on Microfilm)
  • Tallahassee Democrat (July 9, 1924- Nov. 25, 1925; Feb.-Dec. 1926; Jan.-June 1927; Aug.-Dec. 1927; 1928-Current on Microfilm)
  • Time (1953-1964; 1976-Current (Jan. - Mar. 1991 missing); 1939 - 1975; 1988 – 1990 on Microfilm)
  • U.S. News & World Report (1956-1970; 1976-Current; 1970-1985; 1988-1991 on Microfilm)

SEARCHING THE ONLINE CATALOG FOR PRIMARY SOURCES

To find additional primary sources, try searching the online catalog:

  • Click "Search the Catalog" from the library’s home page.
  • Select "Keyword in Subject."
  • Type the word your topic e. g. Civil War and then "sources" in the search box and click "Search Keyword in Subject”
  • Click "View Full Record" to see complete information about each item.

Other "Keyword in Subject" searches to try are personal narratives, diaries, oratory and correspondence." You can also narrow down this list by typing in the terms for your topic, such as "world war" and the word "personal narratives."

Primary Sources – Online Databases

Several of our online databases include primary sources. Go to the library’s web site and click "Library databases." The following databases are best for primary sources:

  • Student Resource Center – conduct search; primary sources may be part of the search results.
  • Opposing viewpoints – conduct search; primary sources may be part of the search results.
  • Newspaper Archives – Search, view, and print newspapers from 1759-1977. [Available in library only.]

Web sites for Primary documents

The internet has many sites that have primary source documents. You must evaluate a site before using it. Make sure the site comes from a trusted source. Government and well known, established private organization are reliable. Two large collections of primary materials are the American Memory from the Library of Congress and Florida Memory from the State Archives of Florida. Use your browser to find these and other web sites.


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