How To: Using ArchivesSpace
Along with our new website, the City Archives & Special Collections has also shifted to a new content management system to organize our collections and finding aids. ArchivesSpace allows our department to describe our holdings in a way that makes our records easier to search then ever before. This post will take researchers through some of the basics of using ArchivesSpace, including how to request records, and tips for using subject headings, names, and record groups to search for materials.
Search Our Collections
Search our collections using ArchivesSpace, the Archives' new content management system.
Start SearchingWhat is ArchivesSpace?
ArchivesSpace allows the Archives to organize, describe, and link the records of our collections in one content management system. In an effort to make our materials as easily accessible as possible, and in keeping with archives best practices, we have shifted to this new online system. While the interface may seem complicated at first, we hope that these tips for searching will help our patrons navigate our finding aids.
Searching
The easiest way to start searching is to enter keywords into the search bar. Let’s say you are researching the desegregation of Mardi Gras krewes. Just typing in “Mardi Gras” in the search bar is going to show every instance of the phrase “Mardi Gras” as it occurs in our collection. That search provides over 150 results. Luckily, ArchivesSpace allows researchers to refine their searches by adding multiple search terms and/or a date range. Click the + add row and add the search term “desegregation” to the “Mardi Gras” search. That provides three search results, with the most relevant right at the top. In two clicks, you are reading about Councilmember Dorothy Mae Taylor’s 1992 Anti-Discrimination ordinance, desegregating Mardi Gras krewes.
Using the ArchivesSpace Menu Bar
The categories listed on the menu bar provide researchers with additional assistance and access points to our records. The categories are Collections, Subjects, Names, and Record Groups. Let’s take a look at each option and explore the benefits of using each category.
Quick Search
This icon on the ArchivesSpace menu bar will bring you back to the basic search screen.
More Tips for Searching
Use quotation marks
If you search “City Council” in quotes, the database knows you want to look for those two words next to each other. Without the quotation marks, it will search for every instance of the word City and every instance of the word Council and produce an unwieldy number of results.
Read the Notes
Review the “Scope and Contents” as well as the “Biographical/ Historical” notes for collections. This will provide valuable context and sometimes much needed instructions for accessing and understanding materials. There may also be a “Related Materials” note that will point the researcher to additional collections.
Don't be too specific
Sometimes too many search terms can limit the search too much; try to find a middle ground. While searching for “Garbage trucks in New Orleans East” produced zero results, searching the two terms “Garbage” and “New Orleans East” provided several results.
Understanding Search Results
The most relevant search results will appear at the top of your screen; however, there are a few additional details that will help you find even more materials related to your search. Say you are looking for information about Charity Hospital. You enter “Charity Hospital” in the search bar, and the first result is our collection of Charity Hospital Records. Great! But you want to know more about Charity Hospital, not view records produced by the hospital. The search yielded 65 results, so how do you know which results to look at?
It is important to remember that the search is for the words “Charity Hospital” as they occur across ArchivesSpace. This could mean that Charity Hospital is mentioned in a collection description, as a series, or folder name. ArchivesSpace will rank the results from macro to micro–meaning collections first, then series, then sub-series, then folders. You want to make sure that you click through all of the pages of search results, so that you see the individual files related to your topic. The breadcrumbs below the search result will give you a lot of contextual information and help you sort out what you are lookin at. The two examples below show different Charity Hospital search results, with an explanation of where the files are located. The different collections will provide different information regarding Charity Hospital, and will help you determine what information is more relevant to you based on collection and timeframe.
How can I view materials once I find them online?
Once you find materials you are interested in viewing, there are a few things to take note of. While we do accept walk-ins, the Archives highly recommends you make an appointment and request materials ahead of time so that we can confirm their availability and make sure you have a space to research. Without an appointment, we cannot guarantee a microfilm machine or table will be available for you.
Each record in ArchivesSpace will have “Conditions Governing Access” and “Requesting Materials” notes. These will instruct the researcher on the format of the materials and how to request them. In line with standard archival and preservation practice, once materials have been microfilmed or digitized, the originals are closed for research.
We are excited to present this new website and system to our patrons; we understand that it will take some time getting used to, but we are confident the end result will offer a better experience for our patrons. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions via phone (504) 596-2610 or use the “Ask an Archivist” feature.
Ask an Archivist
Got a question? Ask an archivist. Questions are answered Monday-Friday, 10-4pm.
Understanding Archives
This post was written by Brittanny Silva in 2024.