Types of Repositories
Special libraries and archival repositories come in every shape and size. They can be divided into the following broad categories:
Research Libraries
These include large public libraries like the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library, special collections in colleges and university libraries, and historical societies and museums.
Government Archives
There are government archives at the national, state, county, and municipal level. Individual government agencies may also maintain archives of their own records. These entities may have their own search engines and discovery tools that do not overlap with databases such as ArchiveGrid or WorldCat.
Community Archives
Often organized and run by volunteers. Community archives usually have the most open access policies and welcome researchers to explore and use holdings with relatively few restrictions. Examples include the Interference Archive and the Lesbian Herstory Archives.
Local Museums, Historical Societies, Libraries, & Archives
Small-scale local repositories often have wonderfully rich collections and highly knowledgeable staff. Look for repositories in the geographical vicinity of your subject to find sources in a range of formats.
Institutional Archives
The records held by companies and organizations documenting their own operations and histories. These may or may not be open to outside researchers. Permission is usually required for access.
Private Collections
Personal papers held by individuals and families. These may be processed or unprocessed materials and access may be strictly controlled. Contact the administrators directly to inquire about using the collections. Be sure you understand and can agree to any restrictions before undertaking research.
- A Day in the Life of an Assistant Archivist at Kew GardensA short video giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a typical work day of an Assistant Archivist at Kew Gardens.
Finding Archival Repositories & Special Collections Libraries
To identify repositories that may hold material on your subject, see the list below. For repositories beyond the U.S., see the International Resources section of this guide.
- Archive Grid
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Searchable database containing over 7 million records describing archival collections in 1,400 libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies around the world. Also useful for identifying archival repositories by location. Read more in our GC Library blog post about ArchiveGrid.
- Community Webs"Community Webs, a program of Archive-It and the Internet Archive, was launched in 2017. Its mission is to advance the capacity for public libraries and other cultural heritage organizations to build archives of web-published primary sources documenting local history and underrepresented voices. The program achieves this mission by providing resources for professional training, technology services, networking, and in support of scholarly research use."
- Gale Directory of Special Libraries and Information CentersInternational coverage. Requires New York Public Library barcode and PIN to access.
- SAA Directory of Corporate Archives in the United States and CanadaCompiled by the Society of American Archivists, this directory includes companies that maintain their historical records themselves, as well as companies that contract with historical consulting firms to maintain their archives collections for them, and libraries that contain business records.
- Regional Archives DirectoriesFind archives and archival repositories by country, state, or region with a Google search. For instance, try searching (without the quotes) "archives directory Canada," "archives directory Great Britain," or "archives directory New Orleans."
- Special Collections in College and University LibrariesA dated but still useful title. E-book available to borrow from the Internet Archive.
- Directory of Collections in the U.S. & Canada with Pre-1600 Manuscript HoldingsConway, Melissa, and Lisa Fagin Davis. “Directory of Collections in the United States and Canada with Pre-1600 Manuscript Holdings.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 109, no. 3 (2015): 273–420. https://doi.org/10.1086/682342.
- State ArchivesContact information and links to state archives and historical societies in the U.S.
- State Digital Resources - Library of Congress GuidesAmong the excellent research guides compiled by the Library of Congress are their U.S. state and territory guides. See both the General Resources and Local History & Genealogy guides to find digital collections at the LC, and links to digitized exhibitions, historic newspapers, vital records, courthouse records, maps, directories, bibliographies and guides, and other resources. Particularly useful are the listings of external websites and databases for finding libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies in each state with notable digital and analog collections.
Additional Subject Resources
- Directory of Anthropological Archives by InstitutionA listing from the Council for the Preservation of Anthropological Records.
- Guide to Anthropological Fieldnotes and Manuscripts in Archival RepositoriesA listing arranged alphabetically by archaeologist with links to repositories.
- Frick Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in AmericaA tool "created to help researchers locate primary source material about American art collectors, dealers, agents and advisors, and the repositories that hold these records."
Selected NYC Archives & Special Collections
Following are links to the websites of selected research libraries in and around New York City where you can find manuscripts, archives, and other primary sources. Rules and regulations vary by institution, so always review the website and contact the staff before visiting. Look for "using the collections" or "visiting the library" pages for important details.