Within WSU Libraries is the Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, otherwise known as MASC. MASC is a unit in Washington State University’s Terrell Library that is primarily responsible for acquiring, administering, and preserving millions of non-circulating items, many of which are rare and unique. The university archives, which includes Washington State University theses and dissertations, serves as the collective memory of the institution. MASC is continuously digitizing materials for open online access. These materials are searchable by collection, keyword, or subject.
The WSU Libraries have several databases that can be used to locate electronic primary sources. To access these databases, you need an active WSU Network Login and ID (what you use for Canvas, email, etc.). Or, you can access these on campus in the library.
These databases are beneficial because they provide full citation information, are usually of a high digital quality, and they have been reviewed for accuracy. However, they are not comprehensive and may leave out many other important documents of the event, population, or era.
For a full list of what we have at WSU, click on the link below:
Below are several popular (but not all) primary source databases available via WSU Libraries. Each focuses on a particular time period, population, or information format: