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The Public Catalog

This web session lets you search the Museum's collection in any of several ways. If the features have been implemented, this session lets you submit requests associated with items you find in a catalog search.

Note: A fictitious collection, not the catalog that you are searching, is used in the sample searches/displayed items used throughout the online help system.

Quick Search

If you have a key word or several words in mind that represent your research question, get started with just a quick search.

  • If your multiple words represent a phrase, use the default "match all" button option.
  • If you have two or more words that are synonyms/related, set the "match any" button option.

To include plural and variant forms of the same word stem, use the * for wildcarding.

Click the Search button to execute the search and display the results in the default report format (see the Report Options/Requests page).

  • If implemented, the Search Google button can be used to have your formulation submitted to the www.google.com search engine for an Internet search.
  • Use Clear to empty the search box and to enter a new search.

If your research requires a multifaceted search or you want to have more control over the number of retrieved items — to formulate a more precise search or to broaden the retrieval of candidate items of interest — consider using the Advanced Search or, if implemented, the Professional Search interface.

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Browse Creators / Browse Subjects

If you are uncertain of the most appropriate key words to use or would like to explore the contents of the Museums collection, use these left-side links to review an alphabetical listing of creator terms or subject terms (if enabled) that have been assigned by Museums staff to the collection items.

These search term listings can help you become familiar with the scope/content of the Museum's collections and, as well, you can use them as online aids for direct searching, both through hypertext links of the individual terms or by selecting a group of terms and displaying.

Your results will display in the default report format (see the Report Options/Requests page). (See the Browse Creators and Subjects page for additional information about this feature.)

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Browsing by Collection

If implemented, you can browse by collection. This first-page option lets you view records in a particular collection or category, as assigned by the Museums staff.

Browse by Collection may appear as an open/close session on the first page:

Or it could appear as a link on the left-hand side of the page:

Your results will display in the default report format (see the Report Options/Requests page).

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New Acquisitions

If this feature has been implemented by the Museum, you can click the New Acquisitions link in the left-hand frame, to retrieve recently acquired/added collection items.

A search is executed automatically according to time-period criteria set by the Museum. The results, if any, are displayed results will display in the default report format (see the Report Options/Requests page).

You will receive a "no-hits" message if no new items were added to the collection during the most recent period being searched.

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