Pacific Northwest History

Books and resources about Pacific Northwest history, including Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska

Searching for Primary Sources

What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is information in its original form. A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time that is being studied. It has NOT been interpreted or translated. 
 

Examples of primary sources include:
  • Audio: oral histories, memoirs, interviews, music
  • Images: photographs, videos, film, fine art
  • Objects: clothing, tools, pottery gravestones, weapons, memorabilia
  • Statistics: Census data, population statistics, weather records
  • Text: letters, diaries, original documents, legal agreements, treaties, maps, laws, advertisements, recipes, genealogical information, sermons/lectures

Remember: A copy of a primary source is also a primary source!

You might find primary sources on your topic in TCC books and reference books (both print and online), magazines, newspapers (TCC research databases), and on academic institution and archive websites that host special historical collections.

Understanding Primary Sources

Primary sources are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study (such as journals & diaries, speeches, works of art, audio/visual, interviews, etc.). They are different from secondary sources, accounts, or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience (often in biographies, monographs, journal articles, etc.).

Primary source collections

Linked below are some of the larger collections for all things related to the Pacific Northwest. While these resources do include secondary sources as well, you will find many primary sources, such as images, digitized original documents, as well as excerpts from letters, diaries, and other various correspondence. Try searching some of the online collections using the links below, but do also look for more collections and resources on the subject-specific pages in this guide.

Found something but you're not sure if it's considered a primary source?

Chat with a librarian! We're happy to take a peek and help you figure out what you're looking at and what you need to find! 

Primary sources in Google Books

Linked below are some saved searches from Google Books for specific areas of the PNW. You can easily limit your search to see just books that are there available in full text, or to books that at least have a preview available. Consider the searches below, or try your own using the search box below.

Google Web Search

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Except where otherwise noted, the content in these guides by Tacoma Community College Library is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0.
This openly licensed content allows others to cite, share, or modify this content, with credit to TCC Library. When reusing or adapting this content, include this statement in the new document: This content was originally created by Tacoma Community College Library and shared with a CC BY SA 4.0 license.

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