Primary sources are original artifacts or documents. They offer contemporary accounts from participants or people directly involved in an event. Examples of primary sources include, but are not limited to:

• Diaries and literary memoirs
• Letters/correspondence
• Artistic works (musical and visual arts)
• News segments/transcripts
• Speeches
• Interviews
• Editorials
• Legal documents and statistics 

While secondary sources are further removed from events and often reflect the author's perspective, using primary sources enables you to work with raw material and draw your own conclusions.

The library has created a guide that contains information for finding different types of primary sources. 

Find Primary Sources (Accessible View)

Why use primary sources?

Primary sources are original artifacts or documents. They offer contemporary accounts from participants or people directly involved in an event. Using primary sources enables you to work with the raw material and draw your own conclusions.

Where to find primary sources?

• Primary sources can be found in many Library Collections on campus:
  • ​Illinois History and Lincoln Collections
  • History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library
  • Digital Collections
  • University Archives
• ​The National Archives has a huge collection of photographs, documents, reports, and more. 
• The Library of Congress Digital Collections (including materials from the American Memory initiative) offers a diverse collection in a variety of formats.
• Newspapers and Magazines as Primary Sources provides information on how to use these resources for historical information. 

Searching on your own

How can I tell if something is a primary source?

The following characteristics can help you differentiate primary sources from those that are not:

Authors: Does their knowledge stem from personal experience or having witnessed an event?

Content: Are there references to other writings on the topic?

Currency/Timeliness: Is the date of publication evident? Is the date of the publication close to the event described?

Reference sources include specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries. These can provide background information on people and events, including information about primary sources related to a specific person, place, or event. Check the following for information: