There are two ways to browse content on the TPS-Barat Primary Source Nexus: by content category or by using the top navigation menus. Content Categories Each post on this blog is assigned to one of five categories listed in the Browse Content Categories box in the middle column on the homepage. Primary Source Picks: curated primary source sets from the Library of Congress Teaching & Learning: primary source teaching resources—activities, lessons, and projects—and teaching … [Read more...]
Using Sources: Chronicling America Newspaper Pages
December 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Historic newspapers contain a wealth of information about the past, providing a snapshot of social and cultural values of a certain place and time. You will find news stories, feature articles, editorials, cartoons, advertisements, stories, poems, art and more. All of these can be useful to help contextualize events and people from history. According to the Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, “Historians generally use newspapers for three purposes: learning facts about … [Read more...]
Using Sources: Citing Digitized Sources from the Library
November 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
LOC.gov provides researchers of all ages access to millions of digitized primary sources. When using these sources in research or learning projects, it is important to provide citations. Citing primary sources requires the researcher to think carefully about the source—who created/published/distributed it, when was it created, and from where was it accessed. Citing sources ensures that full credit is given to the creators and publishers of sources and that others will be able to locate and … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Ask Us, Ask a Librarian!
October 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
If you've browsed and searched the Citizen U Primary Source Nexus and still can't find what you were looking for, feel free to contact us with questions about Library resources or strategies for teaching with primary sources. We also welcome you to leave a comment on any post. You can get help directly from the Library of Congress too through the Ask a Librarian section. On weekdays, Monday-Friday from 12:00-4:00 pm EST, you can chat online with a Librarian. Alternatively, you can try a … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Searching the Primary Source Nexus
October 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment
There is a search box at the far right of the top menu bar. You can use it to search the content of posts and pages published on the TPS-Barat Primary Source Nexus. It is generally good practice to limit your search query to 3-5 words. The search engine used on this website does not recognize search operators (i.e., quote marks or +) and will ignore certain words such as articles, conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns and question words. Search results are sorted by the following criteria: … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: America’s Library
January 29, 2014 by 1 Comment
America's Library is filled with stories about the history and culture of the United States, richly embellished with all types of primary sources. The website is a great way to introduce younger students and lower level readers to the Library of Congress and primary sources. You can access America's Library by clicking the Kids & Families link, found in the main, center section—Collection Highlights—of the Library website homepage under the Especially for header. On the Kids … [Read more...]
Using Sources: Viewing, Saving & Printing Maps
November 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Overview The Library of Congress cartographic collection is the largest in the world and contains millions of maps, thousands of which are available online from the LOC.gov website. The Library interface allows you to zoom into these digitized maps in incredible detail simply through your web browser, save the maps in a variety of sizes for offline viewing, and even print the maps out. Viewing maps online Click on an item from a search result to view the map's bibliographic record and a … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: What’s Available When LOC.gov Is Offline
October 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes LOC.gov and some of its associated sites are not available. Whether that's because of maintenance or a government shutdown, don't despair. Here are some ways to access great Library resources. Congress.gov legislative information on Congress.gov available Library of Congress Flickr account image sets available, including access to larger images and bibliographic information Library of Congress YouTube channel videos available PSN primary source activities Try … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Chronicling America Historic Newspapers Advanced Search Tips
March 12, 2013 by 2 Comments
Overview Chronicling America Historic Newspapers is produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress, as a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with coverage from 1836-1922. As of March, 2013, the Chronicling American digitized database contained more than 700 publications that were published in 26 states; the NDNP eventually plans to … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Searching Across LOC.gov
March 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Searching Across LOC.gov The Library of Congress is continually making improvements to the search functions of the online Library. Although the Library is vast and contains many sections, fruitful searches across LOC.gov are possible. Keyword Search Tips Remember when searching for historical primary sources that you may need to try different terms applicable to the time period you are searching and which may be uncomfortable today. For help, consult the Library's Research Guides, which … [Read more...]
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