Primary source material is a key part of historical research. A primary source is a document in which an event is described by its witnesses. Some examples are: diaries, letters, speeches, letters, interviews, newspapers, autobiographies, official records including government documents, pamphlets, photographs, films, art, novels, music, furniture, clothing, buildings, and jewelry.
A secondary source interprets and analyses primary sources. Secondary sources are one step removed from the event. Some examples are: textbooks, journal articles, histories, criticism, commentaries and encyclopedias.
To find books by a particular author/person, search by author:
To find books on a topic use a Keyword search, think of the focus (or key) words that describe your topic. Combine Boolean Operators such as OR, NOT to expand/refine your search. Use quotations for phrases. You may also choose to do an Advanced Search in Omni (with the same results).
"Italian literature" medieval
"Italian drama" Pirandello
