Finding Information:
Using other researchers as your guide
Quite often, you'll find out about collections or items simply by talking to other researchers or by looking at the work they are doing. Your teacher might tell you about a collection, or you might discover a reference to materials in a footnote. Look at the bibliographies and notes from books or articles that have been written about your subject. Talk to the authors, and to other researchers that have similar interests. Attend conferences or talks given on your topic, and take note of what sources the presenter uses. Most people are quite willing to share their work and advice. And don't be afraid of using these "informal" reference tools to help your research -- these are the sources that many experienced scholars swear by!