Researcher Resources

  • Finding Aids A finding aid provides a detailed description of a collection by summarizing the overall scope of the content, conveying details about the individuals and organizations involved, and listing box and folder headings. Most Library of Congress online finding aids utilize Encoded Archival Description (EAD), enabling one to search multiple finding aids across divisions in a single search. Finding aid PDFs are also provided to…
  • Research Guides This page contains research guides and bibliographies, which assist researchers in navigating the Manuscript Division’s collections. While some guides cover a broad topic such as women’s history, others focus on manuscript resources related to specific groups or historic figures such as Rosa Parks and Patsy Mink, while still others bring together resources for a specific audience, as in Resources for Teachers: Online Primary Sources.
  • Publications and Suggested Resources Published guides and handouts about the Library’s collections can be useful when beginning research. This selected material includes Manuscript Division publications, inventories, bibliographies, guides, calendars, indices, and other resources describing the Manuscript Division’s collections.
  • Using the Catalog The Library’s Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) serves as the basic guide to the division's collections. Every collection held in the Manuscript Division is represented by a record in the catalog and provides valuable information regarding access.
  • E-Resources The Library of Congress provides access to thousands of both subscription (available on-site only) and freely available databases. A resource guide is available that identifies a multitude of selected subscription and free electronic resources, which include content from or related to collections held in the Manuscript Division.
  • Story Maps Explore Story Maps to uncover inspiring, immersive stories that combine text, interactive maps, and other multimedia content. View all Story Maps by the Library of Congress.