Primary source item record: https://www.loc.gov/item/2003623402/
As a librarian, it’s in my wheelhouse to spend time searching for ‘what’s out there.’ The Library of Congress is right there at the top of my go-to sites for anything historical, and especially for finding primary sources to use with the Question Formulation Technique (QFT).
Before starting your search, it’s important to enter with the right mindset. There are two key things you should know about searching in libraries. One: they are not encyclopedic. You won’t always find exactly what you came in looking for. Part of searching archives involves serendipity. Embrace that and you will discover some mighty interesting things you never knew existed. Two: Libraries, or archives, are organized in collections. Investing the time to familiarize yourself with these collections and what they have to offer will help you utilize the archives to their fullest. Here are some of my favorite places to get started at the Library of Congress (https://loc.gov/).
- Primary Source Sets
- Prints & Photographs Division
- Teaching with the Library of Congress Blog
- Explore the Exhibitions
- Fun: Free to Use and Reuse
- Ask a Librarian
- The TPS Teachers Network
Funded by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program. Content created and featured in partnership with the TPS program does not indicate an endorsement by the Library of Congress.