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Lehigh University Libraries - Library Guides

HIST 401: Historical Research: Primary Sources

Spring 2017, M. LeMaster

Primary Sources

What are primary sources?

Primary sources are the evidence of history, original records or objects created by participants or observers at the time historical events occurred or even well after events, as in memoirs and oral histories. Primary sources may include but are not limited to: letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, maps, speeches, interviews, documents produced by government agencies, photographs, audio or video recordings, born-digital items (e.g. emails), research data, and objects or artifacts (such as works of art or ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons). (1)

 

Local Primary Sources

Visiting Lehigh Special Collections

Contact Us:
Phone: 610-758-4506
Fax:  6190758-6091
Email: inspc@lehigh.edu
Mail: Special Collections, Lehigh University, Linderman Library, 30 Library Drive, Bethlehem PA 18015

    

Reading Room Hours:
We are located in Room 342 on the third floor of Linderman Library.
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Closed on University holidays.
View Full List of Library Hours

 

Directions and Parking:
Directions to Linderman Library
Directions Building J, Library Materials Center (LMC)

 

Research in Special Collections:
Walk-in users are always welcome but please call or email for an appointment. To prepare better for your research visit, please fill this: User Registration Form

Request Form:
Researchers with Lehigh user ID can fill a request form to access Special Collections materials: Request Form

Classes, Visits, and Tours:
The Special Collections Department welcomes classes, visits, and tours to discover and use our rich collections. To help us prepare better for your visit, please fill this Class Visit Form

Lehigh Digital Library

The Library has a long tradition of creating Digital Humanities projects, housed in its Digital Library. Most of the content for these projects has come from Lehigh's Special Collections.