Welcome
Archives are a major resource for primary documents. Archives web sites can be used to identify and locate documents and many now include downloadable documents and virtual exhibits. This electronic access has made it much easier to consult archival holdings worldwide, but the unique nature of those archive materials not yet digitized makes them difficult to obtain. Most archival materials must be consulted on-site at the archives where they are held or copied/microfilmed and mailed to you by archives staff – sometimes an expensive and time-consuming request.
You can use the suggestions in this guide to aid you in locating archival materials. If you are unsure about how to physically locate an item you have found using one of the following resources, please consult with library staff. We will be happy to assist you.
Books
Print indexes & catalogues of archival holdings
Since subject headings used for archives catalogues may vary according to their content, the easiest way to find library holdings of printed lists of archive holdings is a keyword search that includes the following terms:
(CATALOG* OR INDEX*) AND s:ARCHIV*
This search will instruct the catalogue to look for a variety of keywords relating to catalogues or indexes and then to search the Library of Congress subject headings for a term related to archival materials.
Government Information
- Archives Canada
Canadian Archival Information Network - searches and provides information about the collections of archives across Canada. - Library and Archives Canada
Search archival holdings using Library and Archives Canada's new Archives Search or the older tool ArchiviaNet. See also its Archives-Canada web links and the Government of Canada Web Archive.
- ARCHEION
Ontario's Archival Information Network - a search tool for information on archives and archival records in Ontario. - Archives of Ontario
Information about the archive's holdings and links to other provincial archives. - Our Ontario
Search engine - can help locate collections and images.
Australia
Caribbean
France
Germany
India
New Zealand
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
United Kingdom
- Access to Archives (A2A)
Contains catalogues describing archives held throughout England and dating from the 900s to the present day. - AIM25
Archives in London and the M25 area Provides descriptions of the archives and manuscript collections of the principal colleges and schools of the University of London , of other universities and colleges in London and the surrounding area bounded by the M25 London orbital motorway, and of some of the royal colleges and societies of medicine and science based in London. - Archives Hub
Provides a single point of access to 19,206 descriptions of archives held in over 140 UK universities and colleges. - National Archives
- Scottish Archive Network
- UK Government Web Archive
- UK Web Archiving Consortium