Finding primary sources online can be challenging given the natural of these rare and fragile historical materials. Primary sources are typically kept and maintained by an archive which is a physical depository for such historical material. While some archives digitize parts of their collection and make them available online, the majority of materials still can only be found by visiting the archive in person. When searching for online primary source materials in archives or special collections, look for collections marked "Digital Collection/Materials" or "Online Collection/Materials."
PICRYL is the largest search engine for public domain images, documents, music, and videos. PICRYL makes world's curated public domain media collections searchable and readily available anywhere, anytime, on any device. Search millions public domain images from Library of Congress, NASA, The Internet Archive and hundreds of other sources.
lic Library of America provides users access to a variety of collections including museums, library, and other historical depositories. All material is free and immediately available in digital format. Their Primary Source Sets provide primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture.
Digital Library is a project of the U.S. Library of Congress and in cooperation with libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions, and international organizations from around the world. The collection includes books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, journals, prints and photographs, sound recordings, and films. Items can be browsed by place, time, topic, type of item, language, and contributing institution.