As a part of the Nanovic Institute's commitment to supporting quality research in European Studies we have compiled and organized resources from University partners, our Faculty and Graduate Fellows and our own network of partners in Europe to assist students throughout their research projects. The following directories contain information on archives and digital collections. We encourage students to utilize these resources for conducting preliminary research before traveling and when travel is limited, as a jumping off point for remote research.
This directory lists collections and databases of primary sources. There are also links to important reference sources such as dictionaries of biography. The Hesburgh Libraries' many subject guides, linked throughout this guide, provide additional information as well as guidance on finding scholarly articles and books in each subject area.
Other Guides
Hesburgh Library research guides include include a range of resources including many that are online and free, and also including many databases and collections that are paid for by the Libraries.
Another very useful set of guides, by the European Studies Section of the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries), are guides to resources available online for free.
Both Hesburgh and ESS guides are included throughout this guide.
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History, Western EuropeGuide to resources compiled by the Hesburgh Library.
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European StudiesA guide to online resources in European Studies, by the ACRL European Studies Section
Archives - General Directories
The following databases are useful for discovering archives.
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Archive FinderA current directory which describes over 220,000 collections of primary source material housed in repositories in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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ArchiveGridArchiveGrid covers over four million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more.
Another good way to discover archival collections is to find a reputable reference work on the subject and check the bibliography and references at the end. For the papers of historical persons, the sources listed at the end of a national bibliography will usually provide this information.