Individual Article:
A major collection of primary source materials for the study of America's past
Several years ago, the appearance of digital versions of American imprints from the period 1639 to 1800 helped to revolutionize the ways in which scholars of colonial and early national America approached primary source materials. This ever-expanding digital collection, part of a larger project known as the Archive of Americana, has grown to include imprints from 1801 to 1819, as well as newspapers. Northwestern students, faculty, and staff now have access to three of the Archive of Americana collections: Early American Imprints. Series I and Series II; and Early American Newspapers. Series I.
Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans 1639-1800, often referred to as Evans Digital Edition, is a collection of searchable full-text images of the works listed in Charles Evans’ American Bibliography; a chronological dictionary of all books, pamphlets, and periodical publications printed in the United States of America from the genesis of printing in 1639 down to and including the year 1820 (Chicago, 1903-1959; 14 volumes). Evans, however, only reached the year 1800; his work was continued by Ralph R. Shaw and Richard Shoemaker, in their multi-volume American Bibliography; a preliminary checklist for 1801-1819 (New York, 1958-65), as well as other supplements. Digital facsimiles of the works listed by Shaw and Shoemaker are now available as Early American Imprints, Series II: 1801-1819. Rounding out the Library’s holdings of materials in the Archive of Americana collection is yet another major database, Early American Newspapers. Series I, which provides the full text of many of the papers listed in Clarence Brigham’s History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690-1820 (Worcester, Mass., 1947; additions and corrections, 1961; 2 volumes). All three databases are works-in-progress, with scheduled completion dates in the near future.
Because they share the same interface and search mechanisms, the three databases can be searched individually or concurrently. The databases may be accessed from campus or anywhere with internet access (using your NetID and password). Once the user has entered one database, s/he may click on the Archive of Americana link in the upper left corner of the screen; this link takes the reader to an introductory search screen. Beginning at this screen, researchers may choose which, and how many, database(s) to search. Excellent help and search hints inform users of the idiosyncrasies of the databases: for example, users are advised of ways to search for colonial English and variant spellings. Search terms are generally highlighted in result sets. Researchers can perform basic or advanced searches, search for specific titles or numerous works, or for a specific year or groups of years, among other things.
Performing a basic search can be a straightforward entry into these rich resources, although researchers who find that simple searches produce numerous irrelevant results should read the search hints section for tips on refining searches and thereby reducing the number of false hits. A basic search across all three databases, using the terms "flood" and "mississippi," and providing no other limits, produces over 1,000 hits. By limiting the chronological period to 1800-1820, the result set is reduced. Output options include emailing, printing, and downloading as PDF or TIFF.
Collections such as the ones that make up the Archive of Americana group are changing the way in which scholars approach primary source materials. We look forward to growing our collections of such digital primary sources.
Harriet Lightman