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Currey Seminar

This guide is a collection of information for student participating in Rose Library's Currey Seminar.

At Emory University

Emory University's manuscript and archival collections can be found using the catalog, discoverE, or the Emory Finding Aids database. Both of these tools can be searched using keywords or linked subject headings and will indicate the holding library. Don't forget: there are several libraries with special collections materials on campus, and most do not circulate.

  • discoverE: Use the catalog to search for print materials (books, pamphlets, newspapers, etc). Archival collections will also have brief records so that they will come up in all searches from the catalog. This is the best way to get a broad overview of holdings on any one topic at Emory.
  • Emory Finding Aids: Use the Finding Aids database to see detailed descriptions, even down to the item level, of the contents of any of Emory's archives and manuscript collections. This is the best way to narrow down your interests in a collection, and to make requests for materials.

In the United States

There are many important tools for finding archival collections relevant to your research in the United States. Some portals my be specialized around a certain topic, while others represent consortiums of holding libraries that share information.

  • World Cat: Using your EID, you can search the world's most comprehensive database of library catalog records, which includes archival collections and rare books. An important feature will show you the closest library with a given title in its collections; some special collections will loan print materials through InterLibrary Loan.
  • ArchiveGrid: Over 1,000 archives have contributed information about their collections to this database. Most records include links out to collection finding aids. This is an especially important resource for finding"split" collections; materials related to one person or organization that have ended up in multiple institutions.
  • Library of Congress (LOC): The largest library in the world and the home of many U.S. records. LOC has an aggressive digitization program for documents and is the source for subject headings that may help you search other catalogs.
  • National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): The nation's record keeper, NARA is charged with collecting and providing access to U.S. government records, but also has manuscript collections important to the nation's history. There are many digitized records on NARA's website.

Internationally

Many countries have online tools for accessing their archives similar to the United States. Sometimes these portals are for a single country's archives, some are for a consortium of countries or special topics.