Context

Objects in Special Collections are not new, and do not exist in isolation. Researchers need to consider objects in a wider context where possible: perhaps by comparing a ranges of sources from the same period, and thinking about any similarities or differences between them. This could include thinking about the ideas, assumptions and arguments sources may convey, or even the materials out of which they are constructed.

Objects are often part of larger collections, which have a substantial history behind them. Researchers can gain a broader understanding of an object and its importance by learning how it relates to other objects in a collection, and how it might have been used by different people for different purposes over time.

Special Collections catalogue records contain useful information on the object itself, as well as its relationship to other objects, both in our collections and elsewhere.

Image credit Leeds University Library