For a quick general search you can type a keyword or phrase into the 'Search the collections' box at the top of the page.
Enter a particular keyword, combination of words or a reference number.
Using quotation marks eg "Royal Crescent" will return results with that exact phrase.
Search results are sorted by title (as a default) or you can sort by date or reference number. The number of separate archive and library results are shown at the top of the page.
For archives records, the results page will display basic information (reference number, title and date) for each
record and a thumbnail image where available. Please note thumbnails will only display on the results page if you are using Grid rather than List view.
Select the item you want to view for a more detailed description.
Record details
At the top of the page you will see a structure or tree showing
where the record fits into a specific collection. The tree shows the different levels of
description which can be selected and viewed.
The collection, or fonds level, is the highest level of
description in an archival catalogue and is displayed at the top of the tree. It tends to
relate to a particular person, institution or entity. At this level, you get an
overview of the entire collection. By following the hierarchy down to the lower
levels, you can see more detailed descriptions. The next level down is usually the series level. This
relates to particular types of activities or functions. The lower levels are usually called sub-series or file.
These levels tend to relate to particular elements or instances of the activity
the series relates to. A file is sometimes the lowest level of description but it is usually an item.
Details for an archives record typically include the
following fields of information:
Title
- a short description of the item, the actual title of an item or or a
broad overview of the contents
Reference
number - please use this and the title when you request to access items
Level
of description - describes at what level the record is
within a collection
Date
- this might be a specific date or a date range
Extent
- normally the quantity of items or the size/dimension of the contents
Description
- a more detailed description of the contents
Access
conditions - access to some records is restricted for a period of time or
more permanently
Contents
- this lists the series, files or items within the record
Advanced search
To perform a more detailed search of the catalogue you should
select 'Show search options'. This will make your search more specific. You can restrict your search to only Archives records or just Books records. In addition you can restrict the search to only records which have images included.
When searching only the Archives records you can narrow your search by:
Earliest
year - limits your search to records from the given year onwards
Latest
year - limits your search to records up to the given year
Sort by - this will sort the results list by title, date or reference number
Reference
number - limits your search to the specific reference number you input
Title
- limits the search to specific words included within a title
Place - limits the search to a geographical area/specific location eg. town, county, region, county
Level
(of description) - limits your search to records at a certain level such
as collection, series, file, item
You can use a combination of fields when you perform a detailed search. For example, you can search for 'Royal Crescent' in the General search box and limit your results to a date range and/or title and/or reference number.
Please do contact us if
you have difficulty finding what you are looking for.
Requesting items
If you would like to consult items in the searchrooms or request copies please contact [email protected]
