The Schlager Digital Library offers a trusted platform for primary source research across many courses in the humanities and social sciences, while also being flexible enough to work directly in the classroom as required course reading. By the Fall 2024, 27 of our primary document collections will be available through this platform. Together, the collections include more than 2,500 notable and often-studied primary documents, from government documents such as laws, legal codes, royal decrees, and court opinions to speeches, letters, and even visual sources such as paintings, illustrations, and photographs. All ebooks and articles/documents are offered DRM-free, with unlimited user access and unlimited PDF downloads of all titles. A number of the titles are exclusive to our platform and not available through any other platform. The platform supports learners and researchers across high school, academic, and public library settings.
User Access
The Schlager Digital Library allows unlimited simultaneous users for all content on the platform.
Downloads
The Schlager Digital Library allows users to download all ebooks and articles/documents without restriction.
Click here to access the Schlager Digital Library
About Primary Sources
Primary sources are central to the study of history, and historians generally regard them as "the most reliable and trustworthy means of discovering historical truth" (Eric Cunningham, The Schlager Manual of Primary Sources). These sources comprise many different kinds of sources, including laws and decrees, oral transcripts, rites and scriptures, charters and treaties, government documents, letters and diaries, speeches, and visual sources such as photographs, illustrations, and paintings. They can be distinguished from secondary sources and tertiary sources. Secondary sources are usually composed some time after the events they describe occurred, and they are usually not based on the personal experience of those events. A tertiary source is a work that synthesizes information from primary and secondary sources in new and meaningful ways.
With the sources in this collection, we have sought to illuminate ideas, events, movements, and issues across a wide spectrum of global and U.S. history, from the ancient world to the present day. In addition, we have added a range of scholarly analysis and commentary to these sources to further assist learners and researchers.
Content
The content in the Schlager Digital Library comprises 27 ebooks published by Schlager Group. These include a standalone title, The Schlager Manual of Primary Sources, along with 3 dedicated series. Here is a description of the focus of each of the 3 series:
Milestone Documents
The titles in this series offer extensive commentary and analysis of individual landmark primary sources.
Title count (Fall 2024): 9 books
Schlager Anthologies
Our Anthologies offer briefer commentary alongside carefully abridged texts, and are designed to be more accessible to a wider range of students.
Title count (Fall 2024): 9 books
Historic Documents
These titles offer primary source documents without any accompanying commentary. They are suitable for additional research and exploration.
Title count (Fall 2024): 8 books
Platform Features
Tips for Faculty and Teachers
Browse the Catalog to Find Relevant Books or Documents
Instructors can search the full catalog by using the Full-Text Search bar. They can also filter their search by book, chapter/article/document, and broad subject area.
Assign a Book or Article/Document on a Syllabus
Instructors can copy each book or article/document URL from each book or article landing page to their syllabus. This can be done by selecting the Share icon and choosing "Copy URL," or by simply selecting and copying the URL from the address bar in the browser.
Utilize The Schlager Manual of Primary Sources
When assigning books to students, we encourage instructors to consider The Schlager Manual of Primary Sources. This brief guidebook offers a broad overview of primary sources, along with helping students understand and interpret such sources, research them, and cite them.
Tips for Students
How to Cite a Book in This Collection
On any book or article/document landing page, students can find citation support by clicking on the double-quote icon. From there, they will find a range of citation formats, including APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Mandeley, and BibText. Students can then copy any format to the clipboard or export the citation as a .txt file.
How to Share a Book or Article/Document in This Collection
Again on any book or article/document landing page, students can select the "share" icon to share the link via X/Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn or via URL.
Accessibility
We are committed to making the Schlager Digital Library universally accessible and user-friendly in conformance with both Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act. In addition, all content on our site operates under the specifications in the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). Click here to access our full accessibility statement and to download the VPAT.
Librarian Support
Administrators can add users and view/download an array of reports by clicking on the profile icon in the upper right and choosing the "Librarian" item.
To request additional help with training or support, provide feedback, or report a problem, please email us.