Search for primary sources in the Main Catalog
Note: for many topics, there are highly specific subject headings like:
The Princeton University Library contains incredible troves of primary sources, from original diaries and letters to posters and photographs to declassified government documents. Many are held by the Special Collections department, but others are part of the general collections in Firestone or elsewhere.
Princeton’s Mudd Manuscript Library houses two collections of primary sources that are often used in writing senior theses in history. The first is the University Archives, which documents the history of Princeton University. The second is the Public Policy Papers collection, which include important collections representing individuals and organizations in the areas of 20th-century American foreign policy, jurisprudence, journalism, public policy formation, and international development. See http://www.princeton.edu/~mudd/ for more information or email mudd@princeton.edu for an appointment.
The Special Collections department on Firestone houses a rich variety of books, manuscripts, graphic arts, coins, and other artifacts. The collections are particularly rich for American history, but cover many other times and places. See rbsc.princeton.edu for more information or email rbsc@princeton.edu for an appointment.
Some of our other non-rare "special collections":
