ABSTRACT
The Internet has changed how everyone searches for information, including the professional historian. For historians the transformation began when libraries transitioned catalogs from 3 x 5 cards to stand-alone computer terminals. Today this shift has proceeded so far that important rare manuscripts can be read on the multitude of devices that connect to the Internet. This innovation has both positive and cautionary aspects for historians. Few realize and understand that to be a competent researcher requires knowledge of relevant sources, as well as knowing how to use them effectively and navigating through the barriers they present. This chapter’s goals are threefold: (1) to provide an overview of useful methodologies and identify areas of caution for online discovery, (2) to provide an overview of recent technological innovation as related to agriculture and rural studies, and (3) to provide examples of useful resources with nation-wide content relevant to rural historians. The scale of the Internet and its ever-changing nature makes it impossible for this essay to be comprehensive, but the information provided here is intended to give scholars pause. Through better database searches, we may accomplish better history.
