CMU LibGuides: History: Primary Sources: Archival Resources

Archival Databases

Archive Finder This link opens in a new window
Describes over 220,000 collections of primary source material housed in thousands of repositories across the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window
Over five million records describing archival materials. With over 1,000 different archival institutions represented, this database helps researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies.
Archives Unbound This link opens in a new window
Topically-focused digital collections of historical documents. Currently the Libraries offer 28 collections. For more information on these collections, visit this guide.

Center For Research Libraries
Provides primary source materials to its members through extended loans or “on demand” digitization. Since CMU is a member, you can request items from them via interlibrary loan

Digital Public Library of America This link opens in a new window
The Digital Public Library of America is a free, national digital library that provides access to primary and secondary sources from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Materials in the collection include photographs, books, maps, sound and video recordings, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, and government documents.
DPLA can be searched by time or place, browsed through a virtual bookshelf or by curated exhibits, and also is a platform to be built upon through apps and widgets.
HathiTrust This link opens in a new window
Digitized books, journals, and government documents from all countries and time periods.
Text-mine (full text search) over 17 million digitized works and create customized collections. HathiTrust is a not-for-profit collaborative of academic and research libraries. Offers reading access to the fullest extent allowable by U.S. copyright law, computational access to the entire corpus for scholarly research, and other emerging services based on the combined collection.
History Vault This link opens in a new window
Access to millions of primary source, cross-searchable, full-text/full-image documents on the most widely studied topics in 19th and 20th-century American history. Search or browse digitized letters, papers, photographs, scrapbooks, financial records, diaries, and many more primary source materials. Includes the “Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files, 1960–1969, Europe and Latin America” Collection Database Guide
WorldCat This link opens in a new window
Catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide. Searches can be limited to archival materials by checking the appropriate box in the "Limit type to" section of the database.

National Archives Catalog
The online public portal to our records and information about our records. The catalog currently provides access to over 2 million electronic records currently in the Electronic Records Archives (ERA), which are not available elsewhere online.
AAD: Access to Archival Databases (U. S. National Archives)
Online access to records in a small selection of historic databases preserved permanently in NARA. NARA has selected less than 1% of the data files in its holdings for public searching through AAD. NARA selected these data because the records identify specific persons, geographic areas, organizations, and dates. The records cover a wide variety of civilian and military functions and have many genealogical, social, political, and economic research uses.
Archives Portal Europe
Information on archival material from different European countries as well as information on archival institutions throughout the continent.
European Library
Independent not-for-profit library services organisation supported by the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL), whose mission is to be THE open data hub for library data in Europe. Works to strengthen and support libraries across the continent. Member libraries benefit from a powerful, low-cost aggregation structure enabling a greater exposure of digital resources and bibliographic records. "We collect, enrich and innovate with libraries' data and content for the widest possible dissemination."

Archival Directories

Archeo BiblioBase: Archives in Russia
Displays data about nearly 400 archives and manuscript repositories of the Russian Federation (with an additional 70 administering agencies) for which coverage has recently been updated.

Archive Finder This link opens in a new window
Describes over 220,000 collections of primary source material housed in thousands of repositories across the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Use the repository search to find archives in various locales.
ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window
Over four million records describing archival materials. With over 1,000 different archival institutions represented, ArchiveGrid helps researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies. Use the search location or zip to find archives in a particular locale, or open the arrows next to the state name.

Archon Directory
Contact details for record repositories in the United Kingdom and also for institutions elsewhere in the world which have substantial collections of manuscripts noted under the indexes to the National Register of Archives.
Directory of Corporate Archives in the United States
Guide to British Archives
Guide to European Archives
Peripheral Histories?
Guide to archives and digital collections relating to Russia, the Soviet Union, and post-Soviet provinces, localities, and republics.

Printed Archival Guides

Articles Describing Archives and Manuscript Collections in the United States: an Annotated Bibliography.
DeWitt, Donald L.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997.
HUNT Stacks-2 CD3022 .A2 D478 1997
Sample pages
Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections in the United States: an Annotated Bibliography.
DeWitt, Donald L.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.
HUNT Stacks-2 CD3022 .A2 D48 1994
Sample pages

Local Archives

Carnegie Mellon University Archives
Established in 1988, the Carnegie Mellon University Archives (Hunt Library, 2nd floor) documents the history of the University from its founding in 1900 up to the present day.
Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
The Archives Service Center (ASC) is the repository for manuscript and record collections that document the history of Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania region, including the University of Pittsburgh.
Thomas & Katherine Detre Library & Archives at the Senator John Heinz History Center
Founded in 1879, the Library & Archives preserves the rich history of Western Pennsylvania, and makes its collections accessible to researchers, students, and the general public.