AM databases feature a wide range of exciting audiovisual materials. The subjects covered range from Civil Rights activism and the impact of war, to theatre and experiences of migration. They support the study of disciplines such as the History of Empire, International Relations, Sociology, the History of Medicine, Literature and Gender Studies.
This guide is here to show you the best ways to locate the content that will be most useful to you.
You can find audiovisual material both in primary source archival content, and in the secondary supporting tools added to our collections.
Primary source audiovisual content: material that has been produced contemporary to the period you are studying can include items such as newsreels, documentary films, music recordings, and radio broadcasts. These provide evidence and first-hand testimony to enhance your understanding of your field of interest.
Find it by going to the main 'Documents' area of a database and selecting filters for ‘Audio’, ‘Film’, ‘Music’, ‘Oral history’, ‘Sound recording’ or ‘Video’ document types.
Secondary source audiovisual content: material created at a later stage can offer useful contextual material to aid your analysis, and can be found in many AM titles in the form of video interviews with academic experts.
Find what you are looking for with the help of our Searching guide.
Over the past 30 years, AM has built strong relationships with archives and libraries around the world. We acknowledge that hegemonic perspectives and voices have often survived at the expense of marginalised communities, and understand that by digitising primary sources, we contribute to the continued preservation and discovery of these materials. Find out more about our work with archival partners. We seek feedback from the academic community and collaborate with a dedicated board of consultants for each product, aiming to ensure the inclusion of scholars and curatorial experts who can speak to the experiences of underrepresented communities.
We continue to increase our efforts to commission essays and features which contextualise problematic terminology, highlight archival silences, discuss some of the complexities of historic archival practice and shed light on tools that students can use to overcome these challenges. Find out more about AM’s approach to diversity in our content.
Every care and attention has been paid to preserve the historic authenticity of these documents. Any terminology that may be deemed discriminatory or offensive by present-day principles may have been preserved for the historic accuracy and relevance to that particular document.
