Historical research comes alive when working with primary sources. The American Library Association defines primary sources as "evidence of history, original records or objects created by participants or observers at the time historical events occurred or even well after events, as in memoirs and oral histories." Primary sources may include items such as letters, manuscripts, diaries, newspapers, speeches, and more.
The Society of American Archivists, in their Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy (2018), asserts:
"Primary sources provide compelling, direct evidence of human activity. Users who encounter primary sources gain a unique perspective on the subject they are studying, and an opportunity to learn firsthand how primary sources are used for original research."
SJSU Special Collections & Archives acquires, preserves, arranges, describes, and provides access to its rich, diverse holdings of rare and unique books, manuscript collections, institutional records, and other primary sources to support the diverse teaching and research needs of students, faculty, staff, and the larger SJSU community. The Department is the central repository for the history of San José State University and has a large collection of university, faculty, and student publications, administrative records, photographs, and ephemera. Of particular interest are materials of archival value pertaining to California State Politics, Social Activism, Chicano History and Culture, Women’s Studies, LGBTQ Studies, California and U.S. History, and other holdings of local, regional, and national significance.
Our region has a rich history of activism and citizen-led healthcare reform movements. This is reflected in the SJSU Special Collections & Archives many collections with ties to health and healthcare reform. See some collection highlights below.
There are special rules to using the SJSU Special Collections & Archives. Before you visit, please refer to libguides.sjsu.edu/specialcollections.