Manuscripts and Archives Online Tutorial

Searching for a personal name

If you are interested in finding all materials relating to an individual, you could search for a personal name as an author or a subject.

Try doing two simple Orbis searches, first an author (lastname firstname) and then a subject for Albert W. Snoke. In either of these, personal names must be searched in inverse order, i.e. surname followed by given name.

You will be presented with a list of headings. Find Snoke, Albert W. and click on the bracketed number. Note that in these searches you get both books and manuscript collections.

The most inclusive search is a keyword search on the person's name.

A keyword search will find the name as author, as subject, in titles, and in other parts of the catalog record. If you wish to see only archival and manuscript materials to, from, by, or about an individual, you can limit your search by format.

You must apply your limits before typing in your search term.

Click on the MORE LIMITS button (at the top right of the results list) and look in the Item Type box.
Highlight Archives and Manuscripts (1 of 2, select both) hold the Control key and also highlight Archives and Manuscripts (2 of 2, select both).
(You must select both for this search to be complete.)
Click the Set Limits button.

You will automatically be taken back to the search screen where the message Search Limits are in effect! appears.

Highlight Keyword (MUST use and/or/not or " ") and in the Search for box, enter: Snoke and Albert and W
Click the Search button.

The result of this search includes Snoke's personal papers as well as other collections in which Snoke is represented.

Searching with limits in effect will take longer than a typical simple search. Be patient as this powerful tool works to identify the subset of records consistent with your request.

Try searching for something about the Russian philosopher and mystic Petr DemşţiĆanovich Uspenskiňi, the English spelling of which might be Ouspensky or Ouspenski.

There is no need to reset the limits. Unless you have cleared them, the search screen should still indicate Search Limits are in effect! Since you are unsure of the spelling, use a truncated form of the name, using only the letters of which you are certain. The symbol for keyword truncation is a ?.

Enter Ouspensk? in the Search for box and then click on the Search button.
On the results screen, click on the bracketed number for the Maurice Nicoll Papers.
Click on the Long View Record button.

In this record you will see both English and vernacular spellings of the name.

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