Archives provide us with a unique way into the past. They are a contemporary record of what real people did and thought.
Because they were created by individual people, they can be biased, misleading or inaccurate. Using archives is like being a detective. We start with a puzzle which raises questions; the archives provide evidence and clues, which we can interpret using any background knowledge we have about the story. And the result - is history!
The world of archives can be confusing to first-time users, who may be more familiar with using secondary sources such as printed books. This unit provides a general introduction to what archives are, where they are kept, how to find relevant material, and what to expect on a visit to an archives office. However, the scope of this unit principally reflects the archival holdings of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and the needs of our users.
Throughout the unit, illustrative images are taken from the collections held by Manuscripts and Special Collections at the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.
This unit was written in April 2007. Last revised October 2014.
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