Yale University Library: Yale University Library Research Guide



Books Serials Government Documents Manuscripts & Archives Maps Dissertations Visual Materials Music Data files Realia

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Useful Subdivisions to Identify Primary Source Material

Subdivision	Used Under	To Identify
Archival Resources	Countries, etc. Topics	Brief descriptions of the types of documents and historical records about a particular place or topic available in an institution or institutions
Archives	Names of people Corporate bodies Educational institutions Types of corporate bodies/educational institutions Classes of persons Ethnic Groups	Collections of documents or historical records including notes, correspondence, minutes, photographs, legal papers
Autographs	Names of people	Collections or discussions of the person's autograph or handwriting
Caricatures and cartoons	Names of people Corporate bodies Classes of persons Ethnic groups Names of wars Topical headings	Collections or discussions of caricatures or pictorial humor

Catalogs	Names of artists Corporate bodies Types of organizations	Works listing objects located in organizations, institutions or particular places
Comic books, strips	Names of people Topical headings
Correspondence	Names of people Classes of persons Ethnic groups	Form or topical subdivision for letters from and/or to the person or people; can be subdivided by -Catalogs
Description - [dates]	Cities	Add -Views for pictorial works
Description and travel- [date]	Countries
Diaries	Names of persons	Collections or discussions of the person's diaries and for individual diaries
Facsimiles	Types of printed materials Specific documents
History- Sources	Countries Names of people Classes of persons Ethnic groups Topical headings no inherently historical	Collections or discussion of contemporary writings such as legal documents, letters, diaries, family papers,etc. assembled at a later time to serve as source material for research
Interviews	Names of people	Works consisting of transcripts of what was said during the course of the interview or conversations with a person on one or more occasions
Library Resources	Countries Names of people Corporate bodies Classes of persons Ethnic groups Topical headings	Works describing the resources and special collections available
Manuscripts	Literary authors Literary works that enter under title Sacred works Groups of authors Names of literatures Topical headings	Manuscripts - Catalogs Manuscripts - Facsimiles Manuscripts - Indexes Manuscripts - Microform catalogs
Maps	Countries, etc. Corporate bodies Topical headings	Individual maps or collections of maps
Maps - To 1800 Maps, Manuscript	Countries, etc.
Notebooks, sketchbooks	Names of people	Collections or discussions of the person's notebooks or sketchbooks
Numismatics	Names of people	Works discussing representations of the person on coins, medals, tokens, paper money, etc.
Personal narratives	Names of events Names of wars	Personal reminiscences or accounts by participants
Pictorial Works	Names of people Named entities Classes of persons Ethnic groups Individual wars Topical headings
Portraits	Names of people	Collections or discussion of portraits of persons living after 1400; use -Art for those living before
Posters	Names of people Corporate bodies Classes of persons Ethnic groups Individual wars Topical headings	Collections or discussion of posters depicting the person, group, etc.
Self Portraits	Names of people	Reproductions or discussion of self-portraits by the person
Statues	Names of people	Works discussing or containing reproductions of statues of the person

Back to Overview of Primary Sources at Yale

Acknowledgment
This material is based on the Web site created to support a series of colloquia in historical research offered by the Yale University Library. The initial site was prepared in August 1996 by Suzanne Lorimer, Susanne Roberts, Margaret Powell, George Miles, Fred Musto, Emily Horning, Cesar Rodriguez, Nancy Godleski, Richard Williams, Elizabeth Pauk, and Martha Brogan.

Back to Researching a Topic in Four Easy Steps