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Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT)

L.A. River sketch
V. Vale and Andrea Juno with cat
Floppy disks from the Collection of Research Materials for the HBO Television Series, From the Earth to the Moon
Wanda Coleman outside of the Whisky

At a Glance

Quick Links

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Tales from the Archive: Our Year at the CFPRT
• May Day Zine (created by CFPRT scholars!)
• Reflections from Library Special Collections CFPRT Scholars (2016-2017)
• Craft the Vote 2018
• Zine - Redescription: Collections on Japanese American Incarceration

Have questions about your research?
We can help!

The Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT) is a program within UCLA Library Special Collections. It was launched in 2004 with a generous lead gift from the Ahmanson Foundation. The center seeks graduate students from a variety of academic disciplines and pairs them with archives and special collections projects that match their expertise and interests. The CFPRT’s central purpose is to equip emerging scholars with skills that will enable them to effectively utilize primary sources in their future careers.

Since its inception, the CFPRT has employed over 200 students to carry out a diverse range of projects. Scholars have processed archival collections, conducted oral histories, created original research projects, digitized and created metadata for archival resources, collaborated on digital humanities projects, and contributed to departmental outreach initiatives through student-led events, exhibits, blog posts, and public presentations. This important work has made some of UCLA Library’s most valuable resources widely discoverable and ready for use by the research community.

The CFPRT is committed to cultivating a welcoming space for students to work collaboratively and creatively, to actively and critically participate in the archival process, and to engage with primary sources in innovative ways.

Five Short Films about the Center

The UCLA Library has released five short films documenting the history of the center and highlighting four student projects:

Treasures of the UCLA Library: Story of the Center for Primary Research and Training (part one of five)

 

Treasures of the UCLA Library: Colonial Mexican Manuscripts (part two of five)

 

Treasures of the UCLA Library: Cuneiform Tablets (part three of five)

 

Treasures of the UCLA Library: African American Collections (part four of five)

 

Treasures of the UCLA Library: Near Eastern Manuscripts (part five of five)

Written, directed, and produced by Erin Flannery, the films have been made possible with support from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Irving and Jean Stone Endowment, and University Librarian Discretionary Fund.