Digital Collection Search Tips

Each item, whether it is a photograph, manuscript, or printed item, has a catalog record with many searchable terms. Some manuscript and print items also have a full-text searchable transcript. A general search may pull up many more items than would be desirable to review. A more limited pool of responses may be located by limiting the search to one or two collections.

Using quotations around phrases pulls up any record with either word. If you want to find an exact phrase, such as Fountain City, use the Advanced Search feature and type the entire phrase in the box “the exact phrase.” That search will bring up only records with the phrase you are seeking.