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Research Guides

Primary Source Collections (1950s-1970s)

UW students, staff and faculty have temporary access to databases that are on trial.

Because funding for these databases is limited we need your feedback to decide which databases are the most important for us to add to our collection. We are interested in if, and how, you would use these databases for your research and for your teaching. Please send your comments to the email addresses listed with each database.

Access: All database trials are available within the libraries. Some are also available off-campus when using the proxy bookmarklet.

 

Use Primary Texts

Primary texts -- the evidence left by the past. This evidence can take a myriad of forms: oral histories, memoirs, government reports, diaries, letters, films, audio, advertisements, books, magazines, photographs, newspapers, tweets (for history since 2006) and more. Two of the easiest to access for the 20th century are newspapers and magazines.

Newspapers are a primary source providing a first rough draft of events. Since most newspapers are local in scope, there is good coverage of local issues. Newspapers also provide a good feel for the time period.

Popular magazines (news, fashion, sports, etc.) also provide a good feel for the period. However since most magazines are national in scope, there is limited coverage of local topics.  In addition to the articles, the illustrations and advertisements that are imbedded in magazines are useful primary sources especially for the study of consumerism, gender roles, material culture, history of technology, and popular culture.

For more information on using newspapers as primary sources see: Newspapers

Photographs provide information that you can't always get from a text source.  They can provide details of everyday life, such as clothing or material culture, and they can document significan events, such as war or a space mission. 

It is important to keep in mind that photographs are not an unbiased reflection of reality -- the photographer chooses what and how to depict a certain scene.

Help: Making Sense of Documentary Photographs, Analyzing Photographs

     Finding Newspaper Articles

The UW Libraries has thousands of newspapers - current issues in paper and online; historical issues on microfilm and online.

Microfilmed newspapers, including many from Washington State, are housed in the Microform & Newspaper Collections, located on the ground floor of Suzzallo Library. The best way to identify what newspapers are available on microfilm is to use the card catalog in the Microform and Newspaper Collections. Scanners and printers are also available.

Additional news resources are listed on the News Guide.

    Finding Magazine Articles

In addition to the online resources listed below the UW Libraries has a printed collection of 20th century magazines such as Time, Newsweek and the Saturday Evening Post. Just go to the AP2 section on the 4th floor of Suzzallo Library to browse these magazines. 

    Broadcasts

    Transcripts

    Photograph Collections