Researchers: expand your source base

Sourcery is a great way to consult collections in archives and libraries that are too far away to visit, or are otherwise too difficult to retrieve scans from. Consider consulting the finding aids at the New York Public Library or Boston Public Library – they may have something for you!  

Teaching in snowy Colorado and unable to jet over to Austin, Texas? A Sourcerer can go for you! Buried in work in Seattle but need materials from Chicago? We got you covered! Sourcery is currently available in over 25 major cities across the United States, with Sourcerers primed and ready to fulfill requests!  

In addition to increasing the number of archives within reach, Sourcery also creates a new way to explore collections before committing resources to a more in-depth research trip or the challenging process of finding and hiring a local research assistant. If the archivist can provide insights but not scans, you can request a folder or two to start, and if you like what you see you can move forward with greater confidence.  

Didn’t find anything helpful? No problem! Now you’ve learned that collection perhaps wasn’t what you were looking for. You can now save your time, money, and mental bandwidth to focus on the most promising research destinations, rather than trips for simple document collection.