Publications

Many types of published materials appear in special collections settings. Although scholarly monographs, serials, government publications, novels, and reference books can all be found in a standard library environment, these publications can be considered special collections when they are maintained in closed stacks in order to ensure their protection and special care. Rare books, publications acquired as part of subject-based collections, and organizational publications (see Official Records) are all described separately on this site. Archives and libraries may also acquire publications that have been collected by a certain individual or organization whose other records the repository has received.

Used mainly as secondary sources, publications are valuable because the author has already gathered and interpreted information which the new researcher can utilize. However, researchers should always consider the bias of the writer and may want to consult the primary and secondary sources used by the author to verify information. Publications can also be viewed as primary sources when the author is the person or organization under study, the author directly observed the person, place, or event being researched, or if the researcher is using the publication to represent the viewpoints and attitudes of a given time period.

Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon. New York and London: Knopf, 1930.

Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries