The Photograph Collections can be searched through an on-line database which contains descriptions and images of photographs and prints.  Not all descriptions have images attached at this time.  There are nearly 30,000 entries in the database, about 13,000 with digital images.

    There are several fields which can be used to search the database: Location, Description, Date, Photographer, and Collection Name are the most useful.  To see examples of each field, click on the name of the field on the database page. The database also contains the fields Photographer's Number, Notes, and Image Number.  These last three fields are used primarily for internal purposes.

    Do not use quotation marks when entering terms to be searched.  The database will read the quotation marks as a character to be searched.  Quotation marks are used here to demonstrate example search terms, but should not be used when doing an actual search.  The database will search a full word or any part of that word.  For example, if you are searching for a specific name of a photographer, you need only type the first few characters of that person's last name in order for the database to locate them.  (Jack D. Rittenhouse can be searched by typing "Ritten" in the Photographer field.)  Using the fewest number of characters possible, will bring up the broadest number of results.  Using more characters will bring up fewer, more specific results.

    To combine terms from different fields, you must choose whether you want the results to contain all the search terms entered (Boolean AND) or if you want the results to contain any of the search terms entered (Boolean OR).  The database will default to a Boolean AND search.

    To search more than one term that is not a phrase in one field, you must choose the "Match any search term (Boolean OR)" button.  Do not type "AND" or "OR" in the field.  The database will read these words as additional search terms.  (If you wanted to look for images from Colfax and Lincoln Counties, then type "Colfax Lincoln" in the Location field and choose the "Match any search term (Boolean OR)" button.)

    Searches can also be limited by changing the type of search that is performed on a field.  By changing the Type scroll down menu from "contains" to "does not contain" the database will not retrieve items that contain the search term.
 
 

Rio Grande Historical Collections * New Mexico State University Library MSC 3475 * P.O. Box 30006 * Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-3006 ** Telephone: 505-646-3839 FAX: 505-646-7477