Getting Started with Archives and Special Collections

Delving into archives can uncover rich and rewarding discoveries during your research journey. The Society of American Archivists offers a great guide to help you begin:

Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research

If you're interested in conducting research in the archives and special collections at the UC Merced Library, it is important to know what collections you're wanting to access. Information on our available collections can be found at the Online Archive of California: 

https://oac.cdlib.org/institutions/UC+Merced::Library+and+Special+Collections

A finding aid is a document that details information about an archival collection. It is used by individuals to assist them while using a collection during the course of their research. The information found in a finding aid can assist a researcher by providing information about a collection prior to physically engaging with a collection's materials. If you are looking for information in a collection, or across a series of collections, finding aids can assist you in identifying where in a collection an item might exist.

Finding aids for collections held by UC Merced, along with the finding aids for thousands of other collections held by libraries and organizations within California, can be found at the Online Archive of California.

An example finding aid, along with annotations describing a finding aid's various elements, can be found in Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research.

How to handle archival materials vary by material type. One constant, however, is that it is important to treat each item with the utmost care. Be aware of the object's condition prior to handling, noting any areas of wear or damage. For example, don't put unnecessary pressure on a page that might have an existing tear, or don't apply extra pressure on a book's spine by opening it too far. The following video provides an overview on handling materials.