Contents: Getting Started | Searching | Learning More | Contacting Us

Getting Started

What are the Digital Collections?

The Digital Collections are curated groupings of related content representing the library’s distinctive collections. Many of the resources within Digital Collections are digitized versions of originals in the library’s Special Collections and University Archives. Each digitized resource includes images and descriptions (often referred to as metadata) for each resource.

Are all items in the University Library digitized and in the Digital Collections?

Only a small fraction of the library’s resources are digitized. Digitized resources can be found within the library’s QuickSearch. Among many other library resources, Quick Search includes records for Digital Collections items and other digitized materials, such as the Digital Repository. Many of the original materials can be found within the library’s Special Collections and University Archives.

How do I determine if I can use an image (for a publication, website, personal use)?

Towards the bottom of each resource’s page are a set of two boxes. Use the one entitled “Rights.”

How do I cite an item?

Citation information is located towards the bottom of each resource’s page within the box entitled “Source.”

How do I find items in the Digital Collections?

The main site lists all digital collections and provides the ability to search the collections’ titles and descriptions. Each digital collection’s home page provides a brief description of the collection, a few subject-related terms to select, and a rotating carousal of resources. The following pages are also available for exploring within each collection:

• Browse and Search: browse and use the page’s search bar to filter collection items based on keywords in the metadata

• Subjects and Locations: explore keywords across collection items

• Timeline: view item thumbnails on a timeline

• Data: view specific keywords in metadata fields (title, date, description, subjects) for each resource in a table format (or use the data page’s search bar)

What do the “years” mean on the timeline drop-down? Why are there only a limited number of years appearing when I know there should be others?

Especially for collections with a large number of items, the timeline drop-down will contain a subset of years to make it easier to navigate to the page you need.

Searching

How can I search across collections?
The search page is a great place to start. It has a variety of search options, including limiting your search to specific collections (“Select Collections” on left-hand sidebar), selecting which particular descriptive fields you would like to search (title, creator, location, and others) under Advanced Options in the upper right, and narrowing down your search by terms found within these same descriptive fields using the left-hand sidebar.

How can I search across all text within a collection?
Use the search bar with the text “search” in the navigation bar to search all text available. This will bring you to the main search on a separate tab from the collection page.

Are the search bars on the Browse and Data pages different from the search bar within the navigation bar, which has the term “Search” within the bar? To do a comprehensive full text search of items across our collections, use the main search page or the search bar found in the top navigation menu of any collection site. To browse and filter items within a specific collection, use the search bars and other options on the Browse and Data pages.

I was using the search page, and I’m now on a new page. What happened?
When you select a resource within the search page, it will open a new tab in your browser and take to that resource, which will be within the resource’s collection (a collection is a related set of resources). All you need to do is go back to your original tab, and continue your search there!

I’m searching for terms I know are in a resource, but the search is not locating the resource. What do I need to do?
As many of the resources within Digital Collections are scanned and are not originally digital, sometimes the software used to recognize the words and characters is not 100% accurate. Try searching for smaller segments of the word, alternative words, or contact us.

When I search within a PDF, multiple lines are highlighted instead of the search term(s) I am using. Why is this happening?
This is often due to what is used to view the PDF. This frequently happens when using the browser Microsoft Edge. Try using Adobe, Chrome, Firefox, and other options.

Learning More

The images are loading slowly. What do I do?

Each resource has downloadable files, such as PDFs or JPEGs. You can also contact us to let us know.

I see the resource I am interested in online, but I would like to see the physical object. How do I do so?

The originals of most of the items within Digital Collections can be found within the University Library’s Special Collections and University Archives. The following metadata fields describe where the originals are located: source (archival collection), contributing institution (library or department overseeing the originals), and finding aid permalink (description of original’s archival collection).

How do I report a problem or provide suggestions?

We welcome feedback on our Digital Collections. Please feel free to contact us to let us know

What systems and technologies support the Digital Collections?

The Digital Collections sites are built with CollectionBuilder, an open source framework for creating digital collection and exhibit websites that is developed by faculty librarians at the University of Idaho Library following the Lib-Static methodology. CollectionBuilder uses a CSV template and the static website generator Jekyll to create the website interface. Website data is stored on a static server, and within a GitHub repository.

Contacting us

How do I contact Digital Collections if I have questions?

Contact Form