LibGuides: Literature: American: Primary Research

Primary Resources in Philadelphia

A key to conducting major research is to visit local archival & historical repositories. This gives you the opportunity to view important literary and historical documents first hand. By attending Eastern, you have some amazing repositories easily within your reach. Listed below are links to local museums, historic libraries, and archives that store and preserve historical documents. Often times these places are more than happy to assist you in your research. All it usually takes is an email or phone call to setup an appointment!

Haverford College: Special Collections
The collection includes the papers of several families and individuals, approximately 4,000 rare books, as well as numerous historical maps and newspapers.
Library Company of Philadelphia: Collections Overview
The Library Company’s holdings include over half a million rare books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and graphics documenting every aspect of American history and culture through the end of the 19th century.
PACSCL- Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
"The collections of PACSCL member libraries include a total of more than 4,000,000 rare books, 260,000 linear feet of manuscripts and archival materials, and 9,000,000 photographs, maps, architectural drawings, and works of art on paper."--pacscl.org
Research & Collections : Historical Society of Pennsylvania
The Society holds many national treasures, such as the first draft of the United States Constitution, an original printer’s proof of the Declaration of Independence, and the earliest surviving American photograph. But the true strength of our collection is the overall breadth and depth of materials that together offer a rich, complex portrait of U.S. history and society from the 17th century to the present.
Rosenbach Museum & Library - Research Services & Hours
The Rosenbach preserves a nearly unparalleled rare book and manuscript collection, with particular strength in American and British literature and history.
Special Collections | Bryn Mawr College Library
The library holds papers, letters and manuscripts of 19 & 20th century writers: Katherine Sergeant White, long-time editor of the New Yorker, British poet Ralph Hodgson; papers and drawings of British illustrator Claud Lovat Fraser, Christina Rossetti, Laurence Housman, A.E. Housman, Marianne Moore, John Keats and other British and American writers.
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The library has strong collections of first and early editions of the works of major writers in English, from the First Folio of Shakespeare and the first printing of Milton's Paradise Lost, to original printings of the major British and American writers of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Also included are early editions of Rousseau, Voltaire, and other French writers, and first editions of 20th century Latin American writers.

Digital Libraries & Archives

Digital libraries & archives are great ways to view primary sources or full texts without having to travel anywhere. Listed below are a few digital collections of American literary greats.

Many libraries will at the very least post a collection's finding aid online. To search for these, try typing the author's name followed by "digital papers" or "collection finding aid". For example, Princeton has a large collection of F. Scott Fitzgerald's papers and writings. They are not digitized, but, you can see a list of what papers are there and discover it may be worth a trip to Princeton to see the materials in person.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Papers, 1897-1944: Finding Aid

Literature: American: Primary Research

Primary Sources in Philly

Primary Resources in Philadelphia

Digital Libraries & Archives

About the Library

Using the Library

Interlibrary Services

Warner Memorial Library