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Using Archives at MSU

A guide for using primary sources and archives available at Montana State University

What are primary sources?

Primary Sources are immediate, first-hand accounts from people who were present or had a direct connection with an event or era. This guide provides entry points into collections or databases of primary sources.

Primary sources can include:

  • Texts of laws and other original government or legal documents
  • Newspaper articles from the time
  • Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what people involved said or wrote.
  • Original research.
  • Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.
  • Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.

Subscription Primary Source Databases

Montana State University subscribes to primary source databases that provide access to digital archives around the world. These databases are only available to members of the MSU community with full access to MSU Library resources.

In A-Z Databases & Online Resources search formats by “Primary Sources” to see the full list of primary source database at MSU

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Popular Primary Source Databases:

Primary Source Sets by Theme

The following databases contain primary sources selected around specific themes or topics.

Open Access Primary Source Databases

There are other open access databases around the web that also host digital archives online. These resources are available for anyone to access online.

Primary Source Collections from the US and State Governments

 

 
Primary Source Collections from Non-Profit Organizations

Archival Aggregators for Physical Materials

Only a fraction of archives around the world are available digitally. Most are still only available in physical formats. Archival aggregators typically provide access to collection finding aids and records from multiple institutions to help researchers find physical archives across many different libraries and museums. Some include links to digitized items or full collections; most do not.

Local and Regional Archive Aggregators

National and International Archive Aggregators

Historic Newspapers

Most of these full-text newspaper databases are made available through MSU Library subscription and require an MSU NetID login for use. Some, such as Chronicling America, are free and open to the public.