Providing detailed citations for collection materials allows staff, college community members, and outside researchers to easily locate and reference collections. Often, inquiries are sent to Special Collections staff about an image found on a college website or online exhibit. When these images do not have citations, it can be difficult or impossible for staff to determine their source in order to provide rights information, permission to publish, or locate high resolution files.
Digitized materials sourced from the College Archives, Rare Books & Manuscripts, and Art & Artifacts collections should have properly formatted citations when published on any website, blog, or online exhibit. Citations should also be used for physical publications and exhibits. If citations cannot be included on exhibit labels, they should at least be carefully documented in a shared location. In addition, citations should be provided to college community members and outside researchers who plan to publish digital content sourced from Special Collections.
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This link opens in a new windowThere are two different systems for citing sources in Chicago Style, Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. Check your assignment to be sure you're using the correct style. The sample citations below show full citations followed by shortened citations for the same source. Sample bibliography entries follow the notes.
Notes
1. Author Full Name, Title of document, day month year of publication/copyright date. Item Identifier*, Source, Collection.
Shortened notes
2. Author Last Name, Title, page number if relevant.
Bibliography entry (in alphabetical order)
Author Last name, Author First Name. Title of document. Day month year of publication/copyright date. Source, Collection.
*Item Identifiers are Call Numbers/RG Numbers/Accession Numbers, including any volume/series/box/folder/letter numbers, or file names that enable item-level identification.
In some cases, a creator/author's name or date is unknown. If this is the case, that information can be omitted. If there is no date, indicate this with "n.d." At a minimum, citations should always include a title and item identifiers. Medium is an optional identifier. If item is found online, this should include URL.
Notes
1. Eleanor Roosevelt, c1921-38, photograph, 3.34 x 4.9 in. (8.5 x 12.5 cm), Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives, BMC-Photo Archives, Series I, PAE, SSWWI_00158.
Shortened notes
2. Eleanor Roosevelt.
Bibliography entry
Eleanor Roosevelt. c1921-38. Photograph. 3.34 x 4.9 in. (8.5 x 12.5 cm). Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives, BMC-Photo Archives, Series I, PAE, SSWWI_00158.
Notes
1. Pierre Joseph Redouté, "Rosa Gallica Aurelianensis," in Les Roses, vol. 3, 1817, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, plate no. 129.
Shortened notes
2. Redouté, "Rosa Gallica Aurelianensis," plate no. 129.
Bibliography entry
Redouté, Pierre Joseph. "Rosa Gallica Aurelianensis." In Les Roses. Vol. 3, Plate No. 129. Bryn Mawr College Special Collections. 1817.
Notes
1. Nathalie Gookin to her mother, 26 January 1920, BMC-A82-39, Box 3, Folder 13, Letter 1032, Nathalie Gookin Papers, Bryn Mawr Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Shortened Notes
2. Gookin, Letter 1032.
Bibliography entry
Gookin, Nathalie. Nathalie Gookin Papers. Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
For material from a larger archival collection, like a letter, it is often appropriate to cite the papers as if it were a whole work in the bibliography while identifying the specific item cited in the notes.
Notes
1. "College Brought Safely Through Epidemic," College News 5, no. 5, 31 October 1918, 1, Bryn Mawr Special Collections.
Shortened Notes
2. "College Brought Safely Through Epidemic," 1.
Bibliography entry
"College Brought Safely Through Epidemic." College News 5, no. 5, 31 October 1918. Bryn Mawr Special Collections.
Notes
1. Chloe Garrell, interview by Caitlin Jaskett, 7 July 2019, Jewish Mawrters Oral History Collection, BMC-RG12-OHJ-04, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Shortened Notes
2. Chloe Garrell interview.
Bibliography entry
Garrell, Chloe. Interview by Caitlin Jaskett. 7 July 2012. Jewish Mawrters Oral History Collection, BMC-RG12-OHJ-04. Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Notes
1. [Bowl with Butter Bean Imagery], 100 BCE-750 CE, clay, 2 7/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. (6.25 cm x 17 cm x 17 cm), Ward M. Canaday Collection, 69.1.261, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA, United States.
Shortened Notes
2. [Bowl with Butter Bean Imagery].
Bibliography entry
[Bowl with Butter Bean Imagery]. 100 BCE-750 CE. Clay. 2 7/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. (6.25 cm x 17 cm x 17 cm). Ward M. Canaday Collection, 69.1.261, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA, United States.
Notes
1. Robert Brackman, Katharine Elizabeth McBride, September 1950, oil on canvas, 66 x 50 x 5 in. (167.64 x 127 x 12.7 cm), Portraits of Bryn Mawr Presidents, 1950.47, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Shortened Notes
2. Brackman, Katharine Elizabeth McBride.
Bibliography entry
Brackman, Robert. Katharine Elizabeth McBride. September 1950. Oil on canvas. 66 x 50 x 5 in. (167.64 x 127 x 12.7 cm). Portraits of Bryn Mawr Presidents, 1950.47, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, Bryn Mawr, PA.
