Historic collections for researchers

Sarah Price and Richard Pears

What are historic collections?

Could also mean…

Could even include…

Why use them?

“Take away from history why, how and to what end things have been done, and whether the thing done hath succeeded according to reason; and all that remains will be an idle sport and foolery, than a profitable instruction; and though for the present it may delight, for the future it cannot profit.”

Using historic collections

• Finding printed secondary material

• Finding archive material – key things to remember

• Useful websites and portals for archives

• Finding and accessing printed material

• Online resources

• Pathways in archives

• Tips for using archives

• Copyright and Freedom of Information

Finding material: where to start?

• Secondary reading

– Bibliographies

– Footnotes/references

• Reference works

– Bibliographies

– Guides

– Online guides

• Tutors

Finding secondary sources

• Catalogues for monographs

• Bibliographic databases for journal articles and reviews e.g. Historical Abstracts, Jstor, IBSS

• Theses e.g. Index to theses, EThOS

• Access by visiting (SCONUL Access) or borrowing (Document Delivery Service)

The archive environment

The National Archives Records of central government and the central criminal courts

Other Nationals British Library, Houses of Parliament, etc.

County Record Offices Records relating to the administration of the historic county and other local material

University archives Material collected to support research and teaching and other material related to the administration of the University

Specialist archives For example, businesses, charities, churches, organisations, etc.

Private and family collections Papers relating to families, individuals, estates etc

Finding archival material

• Not organised/categorised in the same way as books

– Don’t fall into neat categories

– How they have been collected or created is part of their story

• Key is the creator or creating body

– Who might have created the record? Where might it be?

– Remember to think around the subject

• Remember…

– not everything has survived

– not everything is kept

– not everything is easy to find

General Strike

Local coal records

County Record Office

Finding archival material

Archive catalogues• Each archive will have own catalogue

– Not all online

– Not all complete

Durham University Special Collections

Useful sites• National Archives – Search the Archives

• Access to Archives

• National Register of Archives

• ARCHON

Finding archival material

Search strategies

• Think laterally

• Combine search terms – Boolean searching

• Use wild card/fuzzy searches

Finding material

• Locally held copies

• Printed sources and microfilm / microfiche

• Online sources – many from Library catalogue

Online resources

• Diaries, manuscripts rare books, newspapers (articles, adverts, images, obituaries), photographs, historic interviews in film or transcription

• Digitised as text or, more often, as an image

• Varying quality

• Varying ability to search – many rely on the record

Accessing online resources

• Catalogue http://library.dur.ac.uk/

• DISCOVER http://discover.durham.ac.uk

• Definitive listing www.dur.ac.uk/library/resources/online/databases/

• Subject filter www.dur.ac.uk/library/resources/subject/ for your own subject area www.dur.ac.uk/library/history for historic resources

Full text online collections

Full text

MEMSOTudor State

Papers

Mass observation

online

House of Commons

Papers19th century periodicals

Archival sound

recordings

Times Digital Archive

Nineteenth Century

Collections Online

E-books as primary sources

e-books

Medieval sources online

The Latin Library

Broadside Ballads

GallicaEEBO

PatrologiaLatina

ECCO

Google Books

Accessing printed books

• Rare books held in archives but listed in library catalogues

• Main collections in Durham University Library catalogue and listed on Special Collections pages

• Some collections at other institutions in COPAC

• Printed collections of sources or translations

Pathways in archives

Radical Politics

Local events

and infoNews and

journals

Pamphlets and

periodicals

National outlook

Trials and other legal

papers

Local business

info

Local politics &

govt

Pathways and journeys

Local National

Diaries

Newspapers

Business records

Parish records

Police records

Useful tips for working in archives

Contact before visit

• Opening times, ID, facilities, advance ordering

Go prepared

• Paper, pencils, laptop, camera, references

• Wear/take warm clothes

Be organised

• Check references, take full notes

• Ask for help

Understanding archival references

HO 42/95 f.375Collection = Home Office

Division = Domestic

Correspondence

Subdivision = part year 1808

Folio

HO 42: The National Archives, Home Office,

Domestic Correspondence, George III

Copyright

• Archival material is still subject to copyright law

• Some records are restricted – check!

• Normally okay to cite in research without permission

• Situation will change if work is being published (theses count!)

Copyright

Freedom of Information

• FOI Act passed in 2000 and came into full effect from 2005

• Information is assumed to be ‘open’ unless one of the specified exemptions applies

• Anyone can send in a written request

• Is a right of appeal

Useful links

National Register of Archives

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/default.asp

Access 2 Archives

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/

ARCHON

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/