ENGL 1102: English Composition II (Reeves)

Get Ready!

Before you dive into archival research, know what you want to research. It's easy to be overwhelmed with names, dates, acronyms, and lots and lots of paper

• To prepare, think of what or who you want to search for. What was their name? Where did they live or work? When were they alive? What historical events were they involved in? Compile names, dates, locations, and keywords to make your search as easy as possible. 
• Remember to think about how society functioned and what words or phrases people used during the time period you are researching. 
  • Example #1: Someone writing to their congressman in 1963 in regard to the Civil Rights Movement might not have used the term "African American" in their letter. Instead, they might have used the term "colored."
  • Example #2: The term "pregnant" was not openly used in society until the 1960s. Documents pre-dating this might refer to a woman who is "expecting," is "in the family way," or is "with child."
• Read up on your topic. What do others have to say about it? What ground has been covered?
• At a dead end? Discuss your topic with your professor or get in touch with staff at UGA Special Collections.  

Get Set!

You can do some easy things to prepare for your visit before you come in. 

• Register for a Special Collections Research Account
• Take a look at our online finding aids and find things you would like to see: 
  • Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
  • Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
  • Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection
• Also peruse the Digital Library of Georgia (these are primary resources that have been digitized and are online)

Go!

The Special Collections Building is open MWF, 8AM-5PM, and TR, 8AM-7PM. The reading room closes every day for lunch between 12PM and 1PM. 

Since items in archives and special collections are generally one-of-a-kind and unique, we devote a lot of time and resources to making sure that everyone can use them. This means that there are some things that we'll ask you to do to make sure that the collections stick around for as long as possible. 

1) Show ID: When you visit for the first time, we're going to ask to see your ID. Why? To make sure that you are you! School ID, Driver's License, Passport, or Military ID are all acceptable forms of identification.

2) Lockers provided: We don't allow bags, purses or coats in the reading room. We will provide you a key and locker to store your personal belongings.

3) Use pencil, not pen: Pencil can be erased. Ink is forever. 

4) No food or drink allowed: Spills and archival materials do not mix.  Feel free to take a lunch or snack break should you need to step away from the reading room.  

5) Cameras are allowed: You are permitted to photograph materials in the reading room (no flash photography).  You will be asked to fill out a form stating you understand copyright.

6) Remember to cite: Don't forget to write down what collection, box number, and folder number that extra-special document you found was in. It's difficult to find again "the letter that the lady wrote to that guy in the 1930s" when there are literally millions of sheets of paper in our underground vault. (That said, your online research account does keep track of what boxes you use; document folder numbers, though!)