Begin with a question.
Keep track of the source.

Start with a manageable question

Choose a place, a time period, or a specific detail. A smaller question is easier to investigate than an entire city’s history. Write down what you already know and identify the assumptions you need to check.

Record enough to find the material again

Keep the title, creator, date, holding institution, and any catalogue number available. For online material, record the page address and the date you consulted it. Keep your own notes separate from direct quotations.

Compare different kinds of evidence

A photograph, a map, a newspaper account, and an oral history can answer different questions. Consider who created each record, for what purpose, and what may fall outside its view.

Public places to begin

City of Sunnyvale →

California Digital Newspaper Collection →

Library of Congress Collections →

These are external resources, not affiliated services of this publication. Availability, holdings, and reuse permissions should be checked with the relevant institution.