Search for Archival Materials - Presentation

Introduction | Prep | Presentation | Activity

Flowchart of archival collections in the U.S. (5 minutes)

Explore the flowchart to learn more about how search engines for archival collections in the US were created.


Download the Flowchart of archival collections in the U.S. Links to an external site.

Image description:

A chart depicting the flow of information about archival and manuscript collections held in U.S. repositories, including private collections. Directional lines are color-coded for the type of information they represent: catalog records, finding aids, and digital surrogates. A text description of the same information, with additional detail, is available at "Finding Collections in U.S. Repositories Links to an external site.," on the Library Research Guide for Finding Manuscripts and Archival Collections.

Understand the flowchart (15 minutes)


Watch the Flowchart Explained - Manuscript and Archival Collections in the United States video in Panopto.

Links in the video:

Translate to the international context (12 minutes)


Watch the Archives and Manuscripts Abroad - translating the flowchart video in Panopto.

Links in the video:

Notes:

Structured Web Searches (04:35)

  • Use Google’s advanced search to help locate research guides on a geographic region or topic. Try structuring your search with:
    • All these words: country name, archives (do separate searches for archival, manuscripts).
    • Any of these words: guide research resources
  • Use Google’s advanced search to find digital collections by region and subject. Try structuring your search with:
    • All these words: library [your topic keywords]
    • Any of these words: "digital archives" "digital collection" "digital library" "online collection" "primary sources"
    • Site or domain: .edu  [or ac.uk or country domain, etc.]

Explore 4 major accounts of what others have experienced in archives (7:52)

Search in historical periodical indexes (8:44) Find descriptions of an archive's holdings in:

Introduction | Prep | Presentation | Activity