LibAnswers

• Primary Source refers to original material created at the time an event happened - or a record of an event after the fact by someone who was actually there.  In other words, a first-hand account. 
  • Primary sources can include diaries, journals, newspaper articles, memoirs, speeches, original research data and government documents - they can also be photographs, audio or video recordings, works of art and other objects.

• Secondary Source interprets or analyzes information from a primary source, for example, a book about a historical event written by someone who was not present, or an article analyzing census data.

To find Primary and Secondary Sources using resources from the JCC libraries' homepage: 

• Search Primo and select the library catalog scope to find books on your topic. 
• From the A-Z Databases list (click on Articles & Databases on the Library Homepage)
  • change the "All Database Type" drop-down list to "Primary Sources" to see a list of databases that contain primary sources.
• Keywords to try when searching for primary sources in Primo or the databases:
  • "personal narratives"
  • manuscripts
  • archives
  • correspondence
  • diaries
  • sources
• JCC Research Guides (LibGuides)
  • History
  • Internet Sources - History
  • Internet Sources - Digital Collections

Highly recommended websites for U.S. Historical primary sources:

• Digital Public Library of America - Primary Source Sets
• U.S. Library of Congress - Digital Collections