Marine Biology Resource Guide: Primary Sources
This page will help you find primary sources on the Internet (and in some NSU Databases, too).
When doing research on the Internet, don't forget to evaluate the information you find, especially when you are doing academic research! You can use the guidance provided in our Evaluate Sources LibGuide below.
On This Page:
- Archival Documents (Letters, Memoirs, Diaries)
- Newspapers
- Images
- Maps and Atlases
- NSU Archives
Evaluating Online Resources
Archival Documents (Letters, Memoirs, Diaries)
- Biodiversity Heritage Library Inspiring discovery through free access to biodiversity knowledge. The Biodiversity Heritage Library works collaboratively to make biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community. BHL also serves as the foundational literature component of the Encyclopedia of Life.
- NOAA History Page Writings and collections from the Coast and Geodetic Survey, National Marine Fisheries Service/NOAA Fisheries, and National Weather Service. Includes institutional histories and also pertinent writings concerning the atmospheric and oceanic sciences from such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin and Louis Agassiz. This site has diaries, biographical sketches, speeches, autobiographies, and personal accounts of individuals associated with the above bureaus.
- American Memory Website at the Library of Congress- photos, biographies, and more. Civil War photos of Dorr-Donn tripod at Chattanooga, topographers at Yorktown, George Wise, Amos Kendall, Levi Woodbury, etc.
- Archives II Researcher information for those wishing to access records at Archives II, the National Archives and Records Administration facility at College Park, Maryland. Archives II has textual records, cartographic, microfilm, electronic, films, and photographs on many topics
- The Center for History of Physics The Niels Bohr Library & Archives is a repository and clearinghouse for information in the history of physics, astronomy, geophysics and allied fields. In-house holdings include an outstanding collection of textbooks, monographs and related publications; over 30,000 photographs and other images; over 1,500 oral histories with many of the outstanding figures in the fields that we cover; and archival records of AIP and its Member Societies along with other archival records and personal papers of a select number of scientists.
- Sea History: The National Maritime Historical Society The National Maritime Historical Society is the national voice for America’s maritime heritage—helping to raise awareness of our nation’s history and the role seafaring has played in shaping the United States of America along with the rest of the world. Their mission is to preserve and perpetuate the maritime history of the United States and to invite all Americans to share in the challenging heritage of seafaring.
- History of NOAA Fisheries in the Northeast The nation's first federal conservation agency was initiated in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1871. The agency was devoted to the protection, study, management, and restoration of fish. Includes many photos and a timeline of the National Marine Fisheries Service from 1870 onwards.
Newspapers
- Newspapers & Current Events databases for Broward patronsThe Alvin Sherman Library has 21 different newspapers and current event databases available for NSU and Broward County patrons. Read New York Times articles from the 1850s, or keep it local with the Miami Herald- going as far back as 1983. Lots of newspapers and magazines to choose from!
Images
- Coast and Geodetic Survey Historical Photo Collection The Historic Coast and Geodetic Survey Collection is composed of images covering many aspects of Coast and Geodetic Survey operations including geodesy, nautical and aeronautical charting, geophysics, oceanography, and the military aspects of these disciplines. These images document the geodetic surveying of the United States and its territories, the nautical charting work associated with producing charts for the marine waterways of the United States and its territories, and the development of early geophysics and oceanography.
- Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center EROS is home to the world's largest collection of remotely sensed images of the Earth’s land surface and the primary source of Landsat satellite images and data products. NASA’s Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) is also located at EROS. Use the links below to explore and access our data holdings.
- Florent's Tropical Reef Life Identification Guide Guide to tropical marine life of the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Tropical Pacific, Eastern Pacific, and Hawaii.
- Grey’s Reef Photographs and videos Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Georgia is one of the largest near-shore "live-bottom" reefs of the southeastern United States. It is just one of 15 marine protected areas that make up the National Marine Sanctuary System and is governed by the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
- NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Images The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program brings together expertise from across NOAA for a multidisciplinary approach to studying these complex ecosystems to inform more effective management. They work closely with NOAA scientists in the National Ocean Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, and National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service.
- NOAA Fisheries Image Gallery NOAA Fisheries features images in the following categories: Fish & Sharks, Corals & Invertebrates, Whales, Dolphins & Porpoises, Seals & Sea Lions, Sea Turtles, and Plants/Other
- NOAA Historical Images Collections The NOAA Photo Library contains over 80,000 images that showcase the work of NOAA. Explore images in a wide array of collections and galleries based on the work of NOAA scientists, officers, engineers, and other personnel within the agency.
- PhyloPic Species-specific silhouettes that are free to use. Contains thousands of images of animals, plants, and other life forms.
- Richard Harrison Slide Collection The Richard Harrison Underwater Photography Slide Collection features a plethora of photos of marine organisms- from sponges to fish
- University of Washington: Freshwater and Marine Image Bank This site features materials such as photographs, maps, newspapers, posters, reports and other media from the University of Washington Libraries (including Special Collections), University of Washington Faculty and Departments, and organizations that have participated in partner projects with the UW Libraries. The collections emphasize rare and unique materials.
Maps and Atlases
- Historical Map Archive The Historical Map Archive is a digitized collection of selected map holdings from sources including the University of Alabama Map Library, the W. S. Hoole Special Collections Library, the Birmingham Public Library Cartography Collection of the Birmingham Public Library, the Geological Survey of Alabama, Samford University Special Collections Library, and the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
- Historical Maps and Chart Collection Historical Map and Chart Collection of NOAA's Office of Coast Survey: over 35,000 scanned images including some of the Nation's earliest nautical charts, bathymetric maps, city plans, and Civil War battlefield maps.
- Library of Congress Geography & Maps The Geography and Map Division (G & M) has custody of the largest and most comprehensive cartographic collection in the world with collections numbering over 5.5 million maps, 80,000 atlases, 6,000 reference works, over 500 globes and globe gores, 3,000 raised relief models, and a large number of cartographic materials in other formats, including over 19,000 CDs/DVDs. The online Map Collections represents only a small fraction that have been converted to digital form.
- NOAA Shoreline Website The purpose of this website is to eliminate confusion about vector shoreline data by providing information about and access to shorelines that are generated by federal agencies. The site was developed and designed by the NOAA Office for Coastal Management.
- NOAA Story Maps Sometimes a map is worth a thousand words! Explore custom maps that entertain and educate. NOTE: Most story maps are large, single-page multimedia presentions.
- U.S Geological Survey Maps provided by the major mapping agency for the United States
- Historical maps from the Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection Available through the University of Texas, Austin- historical maps of the world and links to historical maps on other websites.
NSU Archives
- NSU Digital CollectionsNSU DIGITAL COLLECTIONS is a collaborative project between the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center and the Nova Southeastern University Archives. This online collection contains photographs and contextual materials that provide an insight into the history and culture of Nova Southeastern University.