TIAH EDMUNSONMORTON

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Using Archives Cultures Customs in
Historical RecordsThe historian's passion for
manuscripts and sources is not the desire to
confirm facts and dates...but the desire to bring
himself into a genuine relationship with the
actual...the last word of a historian is not some
fine firm general statement it is a piece of
detailed research. Herbert Butterfield
(1901-1979)

• TIAH EDMUNSON-MORTON
• REFERENCE INSTRUCTION ARCHIVISTJUNE 16, 2008

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Introductions

• Who are we?
• What are our experiences with primary sources?
• What are our preconceptions about working with
  primary sources?
• How have we used primary sources in our
  coursework?

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What is a primary source?

• An original source, such as a diary or journal, a
  survey or interview, letters, autobiographies,
  and observations.

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Primary Sources They are everywhere!

• Alouette
• Oregon State College Medley
• StoryCorp
• Collector of menus
• Memories of MLK, Jr.
• MLK's final speech

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What are archival materials?

• Archival material by definition is unique,
  original and one-of-a-kind material worthy of
  long-term preservation. By collecting the paper
  trail, archives keep the record.

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Activity Working with the old stuff

• Items from the collection nagging safety
  precautions.
• Use one of the worksheets Ive given you to
  describe your item.
• No need to stick to the worksheet if youd like
  to brainstorm on your own.
• Think about form, content, context, details,
  inclusions, exclusions, use, etc.

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Organization?

• How are they organized?
• What are the main archival guiding principles?
• Provenance archivists maintain the integrity of
  the paper trail
• Original order archivists preserve the original
  order and filing system.
• The finding aid a collection guide with an index.

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OSU Archives

• The primary mission of the University Archives is
  to collect, maintain, preserve, and make the
  historical records of Oregon State University
  available to researchers. Our collections include
  materials of enduring value generated by faculty,
  academic departments, administrative offices,
  students, and campus organizations.
• Diaries and Journals
• Letters/Correspondence
• Institutional and Business Records
• Photographs and other Visual Images
• Maps, Blueprints, and Plans
• Transcripts and Recordings of Oral History
  Interviews or Oral Traditions
• Sound and Video Recordings
• Physical Artifacts

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Primary Sources _at_ OSU online in-person

• How do I locate primary sources at OSU?
• Physical collections
• Digital collections
• Oregon Multicultural Archives
• ScholarsArchive
• Northwest Digital Archives

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Oregon Multicultural Archives (OMA)

• What is the Oregon Multicultural Archives?
• The Oregon Multicultural Archives Digital
  Collection consists of images that document the
  lives and activities of ethnic minorities in
  Oregon.
• What Will I Find There?
• Guides Collections
• What Will I Find in the OMA Digital Collection?
• The images are drawn from the archival
  collections that form the Oregon Multicultural
  Archives.
• Where Can I Find More Sources?
• OMA Related Resources Page Archival Digital
  Collections About Ethnic Minorities in the
  Pacific Northwest

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Primary Sources Beyond OSU?

• Consult major collections of primary sources
  (e.g. NWDA, OAC, NUCMUC, ArchivesGrid)
• Browse a history subject directory to find a
  broad variety of sources (e.g. Librarians Index
  to the Internet, History Matters)
• Use a search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo)
• Get recommendations from an archivist
• Check published guides
• Finding photographs and other non-text sources
  (e.g. Library of Congress American Memory, NY
  Public Library Digital Collections)
• List on our web site
• http//osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/

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Evaluation?

• Reference User Services Association History
  Section site Using Primary Sources on the Web

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Students Primary Sources?

• Why would I want to use primary sources?
• Value of using historical materials
• cultural assumptions and ambiguities
• political, economic, cultural, or ethical context
• encourages critical thinking skills
• empathy for the human condition
• see different points of view in analysis
• continuum of history

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Getting Help With Archives

• Archives Reference Desk, Valley Library, 3rd
  Floor
• [phone]
• archives_at_oregonstate.edu
• Tiah Edmunson-MortonReference Instruction
  Archivist(541) 737.7387Tiah.Edmunson-morton_at_oreg
  onstate.edu
• Erika Castaño
• OMA Curator, Archival Collections
  Specialist(541) 737.9688Erika.Castano_at_oregonstat
  e.edu