Are you looking for primary source material for a paper, or for your Q.P.? Do you feel sure that there’s an archive out there that would enhance your work, but you’re not sure where to start looking?

ArchiveGrid is a beta project from worldcat.org that allows researchers to search archival material from institutions around the world. ArchiveGrid contains over 4 million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. With over 1,000 different archival institutions represented, ArchiveGrid serves researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies.

Search results in ArchiveGrid will link to digitized material, but the majority connect you to finding aids. ArchiveGrid is still a relatively young project, so while it should not be the only place you look when you are searching for archives, it still casts a wide search net for scholars seeking archival materials.

ArchiveGrid allows you to target your search for archives located in specific geographic locations. On the homepage of ArchiveGrid’s website you can enter a zip code or search from a drop-down menu including a wide array of international locations. As of this writing, the archives found in this database are primarily in the U.S, but ArchiveGrid continues to grow and add more institutions all the time. While Worldcat allows users to conduct an advanced search which can be narrowed by “Format” to “Archival material,” ArchiveGrid’s focus gives an opportunity to pursue a more nuanced and targeted search.

If you would like help using ArchiveGrid, locating archives or using any of the BGC research databases, don’t hesitate to contact us in the library! Stop by the reference desk or make an appointment by emailing: chantal.sulkow@bgc.bard.edu or anna.helgeson@bgc.bard.edu