The web link in this message refers to a brief guide designed to provide students, teachers and researchers with information to help them use and evaluate the quality of primary source materials that can be found on the web. The proliferation of web sites from a wide variety of sources require the careful evaluation of a site before it is considered reliable. "Primary sources may include letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, documents produced by government agencies such as Congress or the Office of the President, photographs, audio recordings, moving pictures or video recordings, research data, and objects or artifacts."

The web page was designed by the Instruction and Research Services Committee in the History Section of the American Library Association, Reference and User Services division. We welcome ideas or suggestions regarding this web site.