Finding Aids are collection guides for each record group. They list material in boxes, usually organized in series of like materials. Materials are most often described at the folder level, not the item level. If you would like to know more about the contents of a folder, you can email specialcollections@smith.edu.
In each individual collection page, you can search the collection using the navigation bar on the right of the screen (or at the bottom depending on your screen size). You can search within that collection using the search bar or you can browse by expanding the different headings in the navigation bar.
One last option is to search associated names, events, organizations, locations, etc. in the main finding aid page for all Smith College Special Collections (https://findingaids.smith.edu/) navigation bar and see what comes up.
Search Tips:
Primary sources may be in their original format or may have been reproduced, for example as a book, microfilm collection, video, or on the Internet. All of these formats except Internet sources can be found by searching library catalogs (see search strategies below).
Before you start searching it may be useful to find some background information on your topic.
Type of Primary Source | Search Strategy | |
![]() 1848 pamphlet [click image to enlarge] |
Books from the time period you're writing about |
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![]() [click image to enlarge] |
Published memoirs, letters, interviews, autobiographies, diaries – and manuscript collections |
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![]() Cover of Ms Magazine, July 1972 [click image to enlarge] |
Magazine, journal, or newspaper article from the time period you're writing about |
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![]() House Report on Women's Bureau [click image to enlarge] |
Records of government agencies |
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Thank you, UC Berkeley! We would like to thank the UC Berkeley libraries for allowing us to use and adapt their excellent guide, Library Research: Finding Primary Sources, on which this page is based.
Search the Five College Library Catalog