 For his History 389 course, Will had to write an original research paper using both secondary and primary sources. From his previous classes, he knew that primary sources are original sources created in the time period being researched and that they provide a type of eyewitness account to history. He also knew that primary sources come in many different formats. Photographs, letters, oral histories, and much more are all primary sources. A diary from 1756 would be considered a primary source, but a tweet could also be considered a primary source. Even though he knew what primary sources are, Will was still worried because he wasn't sure how to actually locate the primary sources that he needed. He spoke with an archivist from Steeleys Special Collections and University Archives Department and she gave him some valuable advice for working with primary sources. First, she explained that primary sources are often kept in archives, special libraries, and museums. So searching for primary sources often involves using the websites of these organizations. Many primary sources have now been digitized, which means that they've taken digital images of the original source and made them available online. This is very helpful for students like Will, because it makes it easier for him to be able to get an authentic understanding of the source without having to travel. She did tell him, however, that not all primary sources have been made available online and for some sources he might have to travel to an archiver museum. The archivists explained that archives and museums have different strengths and weaknesses in their collections. For example, one archive might have a strong medieval history collection, while another might have a great collection of Cold War primary sources. It would be important for him to identify the archives that had strong collections in his area. If he needed help, he could talk to his professor or with an archivist or librarian in Steeleys Library. Finally, the archivist provided him with a list of digitized primary source collections that he could use to get him started. For international research, these included the European Library and the World Digital Library. For national research, options included the National Archives and Records Administration, the Library of Congress, the Internet Archive, the Digital Public Library of America, and the New York Public Library's digital collection. He could also try the archive grid, which does not actually host any primary sources, but which provides information about different archival collections. For regional resources, his options included the Kentucky Digital Library, the Kentucky Historical Society, the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, and Pass the Word, which provides information on archival collections of oral histories. Finally, he could visit the NKU's Special Collections and University Archives, which has both digital collections and resources that he could use in person. To search, he would first go to the topical list to see what broad categories are available, or he could contact an archivist and see if there were any resources that might be of use. After searching a few of the recommended sites, Will was soon able to locate the primary sources that he needed for his paper.