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INTRODUCTION Manuscripts and Archives (MSSA) collects original unpublished material, or primary sources. Manuscript and archival material is usually, but not necessarily, created by one person or organization. Since we collect almost any medium that records information, the format of these materials will be diverse and may include letters and diaries, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, objects, computer tape, video and audio cassettes. The size of a collection may range from a single document to hundreds of boxes. Since the nature of the material collected by Manuscripts and Archives is fundamentally different from that found in the library's circulating collection, archivists have developed specialized tools to help researchers identify sources. You will be able to use this tutorial more effectively and will find the task of identifying resources less daunting if you have some knowledge of basic concepts and terminology of the language and customs of archives. In the section Getting Started you will find general information about manuscript and archival resources. In Finding Sources you can learn about using various bibliographic tools for finding materials at Yale and elsewhere. There is additional information in Using Materials in Manuscripts and Archives specific to working in this department. Finally, the Sample Search Questions lead you through the search strategies for typical generic research questions. You can then work through concrete examples of how one might go about locating sources. It is not anticipated that this tutorial will make you an expert searcher. The staff at Manuscripts and Archives expects that researchers will seek their assistance in locating materials for their research project. Please plan to visit the Cowles Reference Center as you enter the department.
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Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library |
