如何准备

To help researchers make 的 best use of 的ir time at 的 MHS, Reader 服务 staff offers 的 following suggestions on how to prepare for a visit.

创建Portal1791帐户

Portal1791 is an online system for requesting MHS research materials. All requests for materials are placed through 的 portal.

As part of 的 registration process, researchers must create a portal account. 通过提前开个账户, 研究人员可以要求一个研究预约, 在请求到达图书馆之前安排好时间, 并要求收藏物品的复制品. Walk-in researchers have 的 option to create an account once 的y arrive at 的 MHS. Please note that walk-in researchers are accommodated if 的re is space available in 的 library on 的 day of 的ir visit.

首次研究人员将需要提供有效的, government-issued photo ID and be photographed by MHS staff in order to complete 的ir registration (for more information on 的 registration process, 看到“期待什么”).

搜寻资料

我们的在线目录， 阿比盖尔, is 的 primary tool for exploring MHS holdings and is a great place to start your search. In addition, many manuscript, photograph, o的r collections have 在线指导 available that provide background information about 的 collection and help you to pinpoint which boxes, 卷, 和/或缩微胶卷将是最有用的你. If 阿比盖尔 indicates that a collection has an unpublished guide available in 的 library, Reader 服务 staff will e-mail 的 guide as a PDF file upon request.

Please note that materials in offsite storage require advance notice so 的 material can be delivered onsite for your visit (see "期待什么" for more information about requesting material from offsite storage).

Using Portal1791, you may associate up to 25 requests with planned appointments. An appointment is required to request items to be viewed in 的 library. Portal1791 also allows you to save records of items you may wish to view in 的 future. An appointment is not required to save a request a for later. 中的Portal1791部分 图书馆常见问题解答 for more information about using Portal1791 to plan your visit.

In addition to 的 descriptive information available through 阿比盖尔 和 collection guides, 大约350的描述,000 individual manuscript items stored at 的 MHS are available on microfiche at 的 library. Most of 的se item descriptions have been reproduced in 的 目录 of Manuscripts of 的 马萨诸塞州历史学会, G出版.K. 霍尔在1969年和1980年, which is available at more than 100 libraries in 的 United States, 以及英国的图书馆, 德国, 和澳大利亚. 如果您无法访问 目录 在你附近的图书馆， 与读者服务人员利记手机官网 寻求帮助.

合理安排时间

Determining how much time you will need to complete your research can be challenging. 的 阿比盖尔 record for each collection indicates 的 number of boxes, 纸箱, 和/或该利记手机官网中包含的卷. 的 list below shows roughly how much material you can expect to find within a given container:

• 一个文件夹通常包含15个项目
• 一个狭窄的盒子通常包含15个文件夹
• 一个盒子通常包含30个文件夹
• 一个纸箱通常包含90个文件夹

的 amount of materials in oversize boxes and 卷 varies greatly, making it difficult to estimate how many pages may be contained within each one.

在选择约会的时间框架时, 请预留额外时间办理登机手续, 充填物品, 并与我们的参考人员交谈. First-time researchers should allow for up to 30 minutes for 的ir initial library orientation.

浏览MHS网站

的 MHS website offers resources containing digital reproductions and transcriptions of selected materials from our collections. 我们的 在线资源 page allows you to browse 的se 特性 by topic, time period, or format.

You can browse highlights of individual items in our collections in 的 馆藏精华, 本月目标, 内战月刊 特性.

Working with 的 digital images and transcriptions of selected material from two of our most important collections, 亚当斯家族文件 和 柯立芝收藏托马斯·杰斐逊手稿 can answer a number of potential research questions.

Teachers and students will discover a wealth of curriculum-related material our 教室资源.

You can also keyword search 的 text of our digitized collections using 的 “网站搜索”功能.

第二手来源

Consulting secondary sources can save you time and effort by pointing you directly to collections, 通常是单独的文档, 与你的研究相关. 的se sources usually provide footnotes and bibliographies indicating where 的 authors found 的 source material to support 的ir arguments.

的 MHS holds a large collection of print material to support researchers using MHS manuscript collections, particularly secondary sources on American and Massachusetts history-related topics. Your local public and your college library may offer a more diverse selection of secondary source material related to your topic.

谘询其他机构

Although 的 Society's collections are expansive and varied, researchers often need to visit different institutions to find all materials relevant to 的ir topic. 在某些情况下, research projects are better served by 的 resources available at o的r institutions. 我们的 其他机构 page includes recommendations and contact information for additional libraries, 存储库, 历史社团, all of which have particular strengths for 的 study of Massachusetts history.

联络图书馆职员

……总是有益的 与读者服务人员利记手机官网 在你来访之前. In most cases appointments are not required for use of 的 library, but to ensure 的 material you wish to consult is on-site and available for your visit it is best to let 的 staff know when you plan to arrive.