Archival research often yields fruitful discoveries in the humanities and social sciences, including but not limited to history, philosophy, literature, or the history of art and archaeology. Reflecting on my research trip to Yale’s Beinecke Library, I would like to share some tips with you, my fellow undergraduate researchers, as you embark on your first experience with archival research and materials.
Examining pencil scribbles and fragmentary materials at Yale’s Beinecke Libary, Photo Credit: Elia Zhang.
Before delving into the exact processes of archival work, I would like to start by reminding ourselves of the context of an archive. For my current research project, for example, I started out by selecting from a vast collection of 300 boxes in Yale’s Ezra Pound Papers collection. I narrowed down my search by only examining the documents that were most relevant to my specific inquiry. But what is it that deems certain historical figures as being relegated to a position of importance and prominence in the archive?
What is it that makes specific figures so “important” that their personal correspondence and mundane financial records are well-cataloged and preserved for close, scholarly examination? Many factors contribute to the availability or unavailability of certain information and resources that can lead to the construction of an archive. While these systemic circumstances are beyond a researcher’s control, having a contextual awareness as you navigate the archive can help account for both the visible and the invisible which is one way of critically engaging with primary sources.
Additionally, the discoveries that a researcher makes cannot be possible without the assistance of archivists and librarians who are extremely knowledgeable about particular archives. After you have developed a clear research statement (or question), and you have determined how you would like to make use of the archival sources, you should
- Email the librarian who specializes in your field of inquiry at least 2 days before your visit. Go to the official website of the archive/library and search for a list of staff. Usually, libraries categorize their staff according to their fields of expertise. Write a concise email that summarizes the collection that you wish to check out and the date of your visit and ask about the availability of the archive. Sometimes a box of manuscripts could have been stored away from the main site of the library. In that case, the librarians need to take some time to retrieve the collection for you.
- Register on the website of the institution that holds the archive as a visiting researcher. While I cannot speak about all kinds of archives, my experience with the Beinecke, which is a university library, started by having a basic understanding of the kinds of libraries and digital search platforms the institution has. Orbis, for example, could be understood as Yale’s version of Clio. On the side of the Ezra Pound Papers collection menu, I found the link to request certain manuscripts, and from there I was directed to the registration page where I was asked to fill out my basic information.
- Check if the archive has special restrictions regarding COVID-19. In addition to the registration, Beinecke, for example, required all visitors to separately upload proofs of vaccination online.
Now you are fully prepared and ready for your research trip! Be sure to carry relevant ID as librarians might need to check them before handing you your “box.” Once you arrive at the library, the security guard will first ask you to store your belongings (usually a locker, or some other designated space). I was allowed to bring my phone to take pictures, as well as my computer, pencils, and scratch paper with me into the reading room. While sitting in the archive’s reading room, you need to abide by rules that can be different for the kind of manuscripts that you are working with. Some archives might provide researchers with a “pillow” to avoid folding the spine of an old book. After you finish working with your primary sources, the security guard will once again check your computer and notes as you hand your “box” back to the librarians. Don’t forget to thank your colleagues — the librarians and archivists — for their assistance with your research materials.
I hope that you now have a clear idea about what it is like to engage in archival work and perhaps you can envision the possibilities of what awaits you once you immerse yourself in the sea of historical manuscripts. Usually, researchers realize the need to check out certain primary sources from the clusters of secondary sources they read as they start to fine tune their research question(s). For my current research, I read from a scholar who worked on a similar research question in the late 20th century and pointed out the inaccessibility of these manuscripts due to complex copyright issues. Several years later, Yale ultimately purchased these manuscripts from Ezra Pound’s daughter, thus making them an available archival source that can now be studied. If a platform that catalogs archival collections can be useful to you, I would also recommend browsing ArchiveGrid. This site represents a collection of nearly two million archival material descriptions that are currently being held by thousands of libraries, museums, and historical societies. I look forward to hearing about what you will discover and experience within these archives.