Many archives preserve and make accessible diaries, letters, photographs and other primary source documents. A digital archive is similar in purpose to a physical archive, but the historical documents and objects have been digitized and made available online. Digital archives are usually created with a goal of preserving historical objects and making them broadly available to researchers.
Important to Note: Just because some collections in an archive have been digitized doesn't mean everything has! Pay attention to how things are organized and tagged as your search.
Just because an item is in an archive, even a digital one, copyright still applies. You should always cite the archive in your research paper or other research project.
You should also ask before republishing something found in an archive. You may need to obtain permission to reprint or republish the material.
Archival citations vary, but good examples of citing archives can be important to see.
When searching for archives online, the term "digital archives" is not used 100% of the time. Here are some key terms that indicate a website might provide you with a digital archive:
Other terms, like "online exhibit," are less reliable:
Online exhibits usually do include digitized primary sources, but generally just a few selected pieces, and usually combined with large amounts of secondary-source summary and overview. Exhibits are designed to tell a story to the public, rather than provide unbiased materials for researchers.
If you are researching a certain city, state, or region, look for major digital collections created by that city or state.
Watch the video below for a demonstration!