Research

Although we have endeavored to identify representative source material, this portal can never offer a completely comprehensive guide, and we welcome suggestions of new items for inclusion. Below are several sites that will help you search for information about Yale’s collections. Information about the repositories featured on this site can be found on the Libraries and Galleries page. We also host an extensive collection of links to other institutions and databases with relevant material.

Resources for locating primary source material

	Primary Sources at Yale The goal of the Collections Collaborative is to enhance access to and use of the museums, galleries, and library special collections across the university. These collections comprise an extraordinary wealth of resources for teaching, learning, and research. This site features a detailed guide on how to use the Orbis Library Catalog and other useful research tools.
	Yale Finding Aid Database This database consists of finding aids for archival and manuscript materials at Yale University. Their purpose is to provide information about the creation, historical context, arrangement, and content of archival and manuscript collections as well as the information necessary for users to identify and request the portions relevant to their research. These finding aids vary in style, depth of detail, and amount of materials covered, but their common purpose is to describe and enable access to archival and manuscript collections.
	Digital Collections This site provides a single access point for digitized documents across all university collections. Users can perform a simple keyword search across all collections, or narrow their search by collection or document type. Users also have the option to create custom tags and annotations for individual items.
	Library Subject Guides Yale librarians have developed many “subject guides” to help orient you to the wide range of resources available for your research, and information you may need to know in order to use those resources effectively.