Successful Searching
Who(se Voices)?
Similarly to academic articles, there are some very general tools that you can use to search primary sources broadly. However, it is usually more productive to work out in advance....
Who do you want to hear from...
This could be a perspective, a category of people, a specific group/organization, a geographic area or country, etc.
...And where are they?
Next, figure out where your voices "live" in the historical record. For example:
- Perspectives from organizations will likely be found in either organization- or profession-specific newspapers/bulletins, proceedings of meetings/conferences, or collections of a particular organization's papers;
- The perspectives of an individual could live in the sources above; in interviews with news media; correspondence; or in a personal memoir, among others.
- Politicians' perspectives could show up in places such as public addresses; government and diplomatic documents, or in mainstream newspapers.
- Religious perspectives are likely to live either in religious-specific publications, in pamphlets put out by a church or related organizations, or in personal memoirs.
- etc.
Remember: not all perspectives are represented equally in the historical record!
Where Are They?
Now, you need to determine where we have access to that part of the historical record.
Most primary source collections are categorized by some combination of...
- Date
- Geography
- Genre, and/or
- Topic
For example, if you are hoping to find news reports on the Anglo-Nepali War, not just any database will do! You need a resource that:
- Provides access to newspapers (ideally, a range of large/establishment and more-local publications);
- Includes resources published in geographic proximity (ideally in Nepal or a neighboring region, although the UK is also an option);
- Covers the 19th century and specifically 1815-1816.
This page of the guide is designed to give you some starting points -- but you can also ask Jennifer or Prof. Rupakheti for a recommendation!
Searching
- Keep your searches simple, and be creative with your search terms. How did people in the period you are researching speak and write? What words would they have used to describe events or ideas? Are there specific names or organizations that you can focus in on?
- Work with, not against, your search tools. Databases designed for primary sources often will let you narrow your search by features like publication date, geographic location, or type of source.
- Pay attention to the order of search results. If your search is very broad or you get a lot of results, sorting by relevance can help you find starting places. But when looking at newspapers or other sources that might build on each other and create a story over time, you may want to sort Oldest to Newest instead!
- Don't just search -- browse! Keyword searching for primary sources can be imprecise, especially if you don't know exactly what you're looking for. Give yourself time to click in and out of sources you're unsure of, browse through the pages, and look at the context of sources like newspaper articles (what other stories appeared on the same day? what advertisements?) for maximum information.
- Pace yourself. Primary sources can take longer to find than academic articles. You may also need more time to decipher, digest, and interpret the content of your primary sources. Leave yourself plenty of time to do this work, and ask questions or for assistance earlier rather than later!
Analyze:
- Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students(Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College, 2004)
- Primary Source Analysis Worksheets - Digital HistoryUse these worksheets and other tools, originally developed by the National Archives, to help you analyze a range of primary sources including artifacts, cartoons, maps, movies, photos, posters, sound recordings, and written documents.
Collections of Primary Sources
Collections of Primary Sources
Digital Himalaya:
- Digital HimalayaDigital library of sources for studying the culture of the Himalayas -- including images and films, data, audio, and textual sources.
- Regmi Research Series (Digital Himalaya)Digitization of the journal Regmi Research Series, originally published between 1969 and 1989. Regmi Research Series printed transcriptions and English translations of critical documents in Nepali history, covering law and government, culture, politics and economics.
Newspapers, News Media & Periodicals:
newspapers
For even more options, visit: https://libguides.holycross.edu/newspapers
- Digital HimalayaDigital library of sources for studying the culture of the Himalayas -- including images and films, data, audio, and textual sources.
- London Times Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
Date(s):1785-2019
Articles from the London Times, including all pictures and advertisements.
- South Asian Newspapers"The South Asian Newspapers collection chronicles [conflict sparked by British colonial rule and partition] as well as contemporary perspectives on independence movements, early statehood, and the extensive economic and social growth taking place in the region during this time. The collection covers several countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and features multiple languages such as Bengali, Dari, English, Nepali, and more."
Documents & Ephemera:
- Digital HimalayaDigital library of sources for studying the culture of the Himalayas -- including images and films, data, audio, and textual sources.
- Empire Online This link opens in a new window
Primary sources in English relating to empire building around the world and especially the British Empire.
- Regmi Research Series (Digital Himalaya)Digitization of the journal Regmi Research Series, originally published between 1969 and 1989. Regmi Research Series printed transcriptions and English translations of critical documents in Nepali history, covering law and government, culture, politics and economics.
Books:
- HathiTrust Digital LibraryHathiTrust is a repository of digitized books drawn from major research libraries in the United States. The library contains millions of books of all different dates and subjects. Certain parts of the collection are restricted, but many books are free online.
- South Asian Literature (Francis W. Pritchett, Columbia University)Collection of literature (both fiction and non-) from various periods in South Asian history, rendered in English translation. Includes a page on the Colonial Period. Librarian's recommendation: Use this site to find texts of interest, see if you can find another, better copy elsewhere.
Print Resources in Dinand:
Although we often think of primary sources as being located online, some primary sources can also be found in the library. This includes books published during the relevant time period as well as memoirs, collections of essays, and others.
When searching in the Library Catalog, used Advanced Search to choose a publication date range. When using CrossSearch, you can check the Catalog box on the left navigation bar to only search for items in the library catalog, then use the date slider to look at publication dates in your time period.
Remember to watch your keywords -- a book written in the early 20th century will use different vocabulary to talk about various historical events than a source published today. Also, if your research touches upon foreign countries, don't forget to account for the vocabulary used at various times in those countries to describe events, groups, etc.
In general, it's useful to keep in mind the language and names of the time period. For example, older works on Native Americans may use the term "Indians" instead.
Government & Political Documents:
- Regmi Research Series (Digital Himalaya)Digitization of the journal Regmi Research Series, originally published between 1969 and 1989. Regmi Research Series printed transcriptions and English translations of critical documents in Nepali history, covering law and government, culture, politics and economics.
Images & Multimedia:
- AP Newsroom [Boston Public Library subscription]"Searchable Associated Press content, including 4.6 million photographs (1826-present) as well as graphics, audio (1920-present), and articles (1997-present)." To access, sign up for an e-card.
- Artstor This link opens in a new window
Now part of JSTOR. Library of images relating to art and architecture, humanities, and social sciences.
- Digital HimalayaDigital library of sources for studying the culture of the Himalayas -- including images and films, data, audio, and textual sources.
- Himalayan Art ResourcesWebsite designed as a virtual 'museum' of Himalayan art.
Misc. Web Archives:
- Archive NepalCatalog of digitized materials relevant to Nepal, drawn from a variety of museum and other institutions with collections pertaining to Nepali history.
- Library of Congress Digital CollectionsThe Library of Congress has many wonderful online collections of primary sources from a variety of historical periods.
In the Archives
In the Archives
Doing Research in the Archives:
Some tips to keep in mind if you are considering archival research:
- Archives & Distinctive Collections are located on the 3rd floor of Dinand Library. They are open during the week (Mon-Fri) by appointment only 9am-12pm, and for general research (no appointment needed) 1-4pm. They are also open 6-9pm Mon & Tues evenings.
- Although appointments are only required in the mornings, it is highly recommended that you reach out to the (very helpful!) staff before your visit for guidance and to let them know what materials you would like to view. You can contact them at archives@holycross.edu.
- Before visiting, make sure you are familiar with the policies and procedures. Note especially that you are not allowed to use pens or highlighters in the reading room, to protect the materials, but lockers are provided to store any such items as well as food, drink etc.
- Archival research does not come with electronic searching, and can be an exciting (but time-consuming) journey! -- make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to browse the collections and to digest what you find. And, be sure to take excellent notes!
Ask an Archivist:
You can use this easy form to ask a question or make an appointment with our Archives & Distinctive Collections staff. Or, email archives@holycross.edu.