Kenneth Spencer Research Library
- Kenneth Spencer Research Library
The unique and treasured collections at the Spencer Research Library include ancient and medieval manuscripts; one of the largest collections of Irish literature outside Dublin; special collections in the history of science and education; the Kansas Collection; the Wilcox Collection of Contemporary Political Movements; and the University Archives.
Related Guides
- Locating Primary Sources of Music in Libraries and Archives (Illinois)A guide for identifying and locating primary manuscript (and early edition) sources by using RISM and other tools. Created and maintained by the Music and Performing Arts Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Primary Sources on the Web: Finding, Evaluating, Using (ALA)This brief guide is designed to help students and researchers find and evaluate primary sources available online.
- Primary Sources for Historical Research (ALA)This guide explains how to identify primary sources and provides an overview of the different kinds of primary sources.
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary Sources
Primary sources are contemporary accounts of an event, written by someone who experienced or witnessed the event in question. These original documents (i.e. they are not about another document or account) are often diaries, letters, memoirs, journals, speeches, manuscripts, interviews and other such unpublished works. They may also include published pieces such as newspaper or magazine articles (as long as they are written soon after the fact and not as historical accounts), photographs, audio or video recordings, research reports in the natural or social sciences, or original literary or theatrical works.
Secondary Sources
The function of secondary sources is to interpret primary sources, and so can be described as at least one step removed from the event under review. Secondary sources interpret, assign value to, conjecture upon, and draw conclusions about the events reported in primary sources.
Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources in Music
Primary resources in music research
- Manuscript music scores
- Musical instruments
- Sheet music
- Composer's notes, correspondence, or autobiographies
- Musical performances, recordings, films, and videos of live performaces
- Sound recordings
Secondary resources in music research
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias
- Textbooks
- Books and articles that interpret, analyze, or review research works
Databases for Primary Sources
- Databases History (Primary Sources)A list of resources for which KU is currently subscribed. Databases A-Z list, grouped by subject - History (Primary Sources)
RISM
- RISM – Répertoire International des Sources Musicales
The International Inventory of Musical Sources - Répertoire International des Sources Musicales (RISM) - is an international, non-profit organization which aims for comprehensive documentation of extant musical sources worldwide. These primary sources are manuscripts or printed music, writings on music theory, and libretti. They are housed in libraries, archives, monasteries, schools and private collections. - RISM PublicationsThe RISM publications represent RISM's activities that began in 1952 and continue to the present day. The online catalog is the focus of RISM's current activities and is freely available online. Series A documents musical sources in two parts: printed music (A/I) and music manuscripts (A/II). Series B is designed to cover specific categories of repertory. Series A and B are supplemented by Series C, the Directory of Music Research Libraries. Special volumes have also been published on the Tenorlied and RISM library sigla (now available as an online database).