Sourcery @ OAH: Everything you need to get started as a Sourcerer

By Amanda Breeden | April 21, 2026

Sourcery spent this past weekend in Philadelphia at the Organization of American Historians annual conference and answered many questions about getting started as a Sourcerer. So, we created this short guide to help recent conference attendees and new Sourcerers get started!  

Creating an account  

The first step to becoming a Sourcerer is, of course, creating your Sourcery account. Sourcery accounts are free to create and don’t require any subscription to maintain. Researcher and Sourcerer accounts are all managed together; there’s no separate app or website for Researchers and Sourcerers. This makes it easy for you to switch between both views and create or fulfill requests with ease.  

There is no formal application process to become a Sourcerer. We do recommend you set your location in your account settings, as this will notify you when jobs are placed in your area and lets the Sourcery Team know that you’re ready and available to complete requests. If you don’t see your city available, reach out to us via the form in the app and we’ll be in touch about opening your area for requests.  

While there is no application process, as previously mentioned, you will have to attest to having the necessary skills and experience required to complete requests.  

Here they are, as they appear in the app:  

I attest that I have the necessary knowledge and abilities, including: 

  • Appropriate techniques for handling and scanning archival material; 
  • Understanding of proper archival etiquette; 
  • Communicating with requesters and administrators in the Sourcery app. 

I attest that I am capable of executing the following duties and responsibilities: 

  • Provide reference-quality scans that are legible, clear, straight, well lit, and complete; 
  • Provide scans of contextual material, such as folder, box, and/or call slip; 
  • Return the scans in collated PDF(s) that reflect the order of materials and clearly distinguish between separate folders, boxes, or containers to facilitate proper citation. 

By claiming this job I agree to fulfill the Sourcerer duties and responsibilities in the Handbook. 

You’ll need to agree to the above terms and responsibilities before each job you claim in the app. Most Sourcerers gain the above experience through independent primary source archival research, training through a library school program, and more.  

Read more about Sourcerers and their potential backgrounds via our blog: https://sourceryapp.org/2026/01/19/who-are-sourcerers/.  

Claiming jobs  

Once you’ve created your account and set up your location notifications, you’re ready to view and claim available jobs.  

Here are some resources to help you get started:  

Completing the Job 

Completing the job is, of course, the most important part! Luckily we have many resources available to help you every step of the way. Here they are, rounded up for your convenience:  

Other Sourcerer Resources 

Need more? No problem! Here are more resources about being a Sourcerer to aid you in your journey: