Keyword Search & Catalog Search

Visitors to your site have many ways to search your collection. The option they are likely most familiar with is a keyword search. Using keyword search, visitors can search for words, phrases, or sets of words using AND / OR connectors.

Keyword searches come in two variations on Public Access sites: Keyword Search and Catalog Search (Archives, Library, Objects, Photos, Exhibits, and People). While the search function is essentially the same between these two, the type(s) of records included in the results differs. Keyword Search can return a broader set of results, including Objects, Photos, Archives, Library, and/or People records. Catalog Searches, on the other hand, are limited to the catalog being searched (i.e. only Object records will be returned in the Objects Search). Catalog Search pages by default will display all online records in the chosen catalog before a search is performed.

Search results can be accessed by clicking the image or hyperlink for the record. The hyperlink for each item your search returns is comprised of the first two fields you have selected for that record type in the Select Fields for Public View accordion under Public Site Settings.

You can limit your search to only return results that have an image. Put a check in the "Items with Images Only" option to limit your results.

Search Tips

•Searches are not case sensitive.

○For example, searching for rocky will return the same results as searching for Rocky.

•Search for multiple words by separating them with a single space.  The default connector between words is OR.

○For example, searching for Rocky Pine Ranch will return records that contain Rocky or Pine or Ranch or any combination of the three.

•An asterisk (*) may be used as a wildcard when searching for single words.

○For example, searching for Rock* will find all records containing words that begin with rock, like Rocky, Rockingham, and Rockies.

•Phrase searching can be performed by putting the phrase inside of quotes. Words inside of quotes must exist in the same order for the records to be returned.

○For example, "Rocky Pine Ranch" and "Pine Ranch Rocky" will return very different results.

•Using the AND connector between words can help limit your search by finding all results that contain all words in your search. The terms do not need to be in the same field or the same order to be included in the search results.

○For example, searching for Rocky and Ranch will return results that have both terms on the record.

•Using the OR connector between words is usually not necessary since that is the default. Using OR or just a space between words will return results that contain at least one of the words in your search.

○For example, searching for Rocky or Ranch will return results that have either term in its fields.