Manuscripts are valuable primary source material for researchers in many fields of study, including history, political science, journalism, cultural anthropology, sociology, health sciences, law, education and literature. Manuscripts are distinct from other library materials in several key ways, specifically in the ways they are described, accessed, handled and evaluated.

In this section, you will learn about:

• Primary sources;
• Manuscripts and manuscript collections;
• The functions of a historical repository;
• Organization and description of manuscript collections;
• Accessing and handling materials.