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HIST 440: Senior Inquiry- Special Collections guide

This guide contains Special Collections guidance for History Senior Inquiry students enrolled in HIST 440 with Dr. Leech.

What are finding aids? What is ArchivesSpace?

Each processed collection has something called a “finding aid” that provides background information about the collection and describes how it is organized.  Use ArchivesSpace to search across the finding aids and manuscript collections. You can also browse collection records and subjects. Though some digital records of primary sources are included in ArchivesSpace, most finding aids are descriptions about sources. 

Navigating ArchivesSpace and Finding Aids

Start a basic search by using the search box. By default, the search will include all collection records, archival objects (series, folders, and items), digital objects, and various subject terms. To begin, we recommend trying a broad search by all record types and keyword. 

For advanced searching, click on the + sign to add another search term and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). Below are some additional tips: 

  • Use quotation marks (“”) to enclose terms. 
  • Use an asterisk (*) to expand your search. 
  • To limit your search to a specific date range, enter years as four digits (YYYY). Note, most records are described by creation dates versus the time period covered. 

By default, the records will be organized by most relevant collections. The collection results include the title of the collection, brief abstract notes, dates, and the MSS #. You can also sort records alphabetically or chronologically.

To the right of the results, you can filter your search by type, subjects, language, and names. Two of the most useful filters are under "Type."

  • Archival Object: Narrows your search to the most relevant series levels, folders, and items that include your search term.
  • Collection: Narrows your search to only collections. 

The finding aid contains two main components: the front matter (collection overview) and the collection organization (inventory). 

Located on the left of the screen, the front matter includes descriptive notes about the collection such as biographical/historical notes, scope notes, dates, creators, conditions governing access and use, extent, languages, and more. Make sure to use the “Expand All” button to see additional notes.

If you are interested in the collection, be sure to note the collection title and MSS #.

Located on the right, the collection organization is an inventory of the collection. To browse the collection, use the arrows to expand the list and see the contents of the collection. You can also use the search bar to search within the collection for specific keywords. Click on an archival object (item or folder) within the list to see the box location. Larger collections are organized by series or categories of relevant folders or items. 

Once in the folder or item level, a box # or item identifier should be located at the top of the screen. If you don’t see an item identifier listed, you might need to look deeper into the collection. In this case, you might be within the series level of the collection instead of the folder or item level. 

  • Before begining your research, brainstorm keywords that might be relevant to your topic or research question. 
  • Keep in mind that you may need to try alternative phrases or words for particular search terms (e.g., “foreign students” instead of “international students”). 
  • If you don't see an inventory, the collection might not be processed. Contact Special Collections to see if there is additional information about the collection.
  • Use the citation button at the top of the screen within the finding aid to see the preferred citation for each collection.  
  • “Finding Aid View” allows you to see the full inventory on one page.  
  • Follow the “breadcrumbs” to navigate to other sections of the inventory. 

When in doubt, contact Special Collections or the Special Collections Librarian with any questions about navigating through finding aids.