HIST 400: Senior Thesis Seminar (HC) 2023-24

For a check of manuscript and archival material, primarily in the U. S., see these online catalogs:

Unpublished documents and books printed prior to 1850 are usually kept in libraries' special collections.  In the TriColleges and the University of Pennsylvania, special collections libraries are open for student researchers.  Visit the Web pages below to find details about arranging visits and learning more about available resources.

Quaker & Special Collections, Haverford College

Special Collections at Haverford has materials that support a wide range of research.    For your thesis research, please search Special Collections holdings for topics and then contact Sarah Horowitz about using materials from the collections.

Special Collections, Bryn Mawr College

Haverford students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to consult with the Special Collections staff in advance of their visits and to make an appointment a day in advance of when they want to do research. Go to the Search Special Collections page to identify resources related to your topic.  Collection guides, Collections Strengths and online exhibits also provide information about materials available for research.      

TriCollege Libraries Digital Collections                                

Includes unique and rare archival collections, manuscripts, publications, ephemera, maps, photographs, and audiovisual content, including oral histories, from Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges. 

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Book and Manuscripts, Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania
The Kislak Center houses rich holdings including the Henry Charles Lea collection of Inquisition documents and Early Modern books in philosophy and social thought.  They welcome visitors and require an appointment.

Availability of other special collections libraries and archives this academic year may vary.  Please check collection websites for up-to-date information on hours and policies on visitors.  Digitized materials may sometimes be available.  Libraries and archives will also often scan pages for a fee.  Talk with Sarah Horowitz or Margaret Schaus about accessing materials you need that are housed in special collections libraries and archives.  

If you do have the opportunity to visit a special collections library, you will want to be prepared.  It will likely require an appointment along with a list of the materials you plan to see.  If you will be visiting a library outside the U.S., please contact Margaret Schaus for a letter of introduction from Terry Snyder, Haverford's college librarian.