MIT Libraries Research Guides - Learning from the Past: Drama, Science, Performance

Finding Primary Sources

How do I find . . .

Print sources: Use Barton and WorldCat
- Subheadings such as "correspondence," "sources," "biography," and "speeches" can point to primary sources. Pair these subheadings with keywords or topical subject headings in Barton to identify relevant sources in the MIT Libraries. See this table for other possible subheadings.
- For example: Great Britain -- History -- Puritan Revolution, 1642-1660 -- Sources
Library digitized sources:
- Early English Books Online (EEBO)
  http://libraries.mit.edu/get/eebo
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (1665-1678) [check Vera for later dates]
  http://aeryn.mit.edu/emetrics/count.php?http://libproxy.mit.edu/login?url=http://www.jstor.org/journals/03702316.html
  The oldest scientific journal in English
- Past Masters: The Correspondence of Robert Boyle
  http://libraries.mit.edu/get/pastmasters
- Other members of the Boston Library Consortium (esp. Boston Public Library, Tufts University, and Boston College) have many important digitized collections--pay them a visit!
  - Guide to digitized primary sources at Boston Public Library
  - Guides to digitized primary sources at other BLC Libraries:
    - A-Z List
    - List by School
Google Book Search (use advanced search to limit by year of publication)
http://books.google.com