Primary sources are materials containing firsthand accounts of events which were created contemporaneous to those events or later recalled by an eyewitness.
Examples include letters; oral histories; photographs, motion pictures, and videos; and newspaper articles contemporaneous with the events described (although the reporter may have compiled the story from witnesses, rather than being an eyewitness).
Adapted from: Richard Pearce-Moses, A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology, Society of American Archivists, 2005.
Photographs are wonderful primary sources. The strongest areas of photographic holdings in the University Archives are:
When working with photographs, you should be prepared for/aware of a few things:
Records of University of Denver offices are primarily closed to researchers from outside the records' office of origin; however, researchers can request permission to access specific files. It is often best to start this phase of your research by talking to archives staff. Send us an e-mail at archives@du.edu or give us a call at 303-871-3428.
Faculty and alumni papers more closely represent personal papers than office records. These collections -- sometimes volumnious and at other times quite small -- document the personal experiences of various aspects of life, work, and academic pursuits at the University of Denver.
Some of these papers can be found through the catalog, while others are not yet catalogued. When in doubt, please contact the archives staff and ask!
Below are finding aids for notable faculty papers:
