Section of Art Libraries

International Directory of Art Libraries

Search Tips and Database Construction

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July 6, 1998

Case: The database is case insensitive, so it doesn't matter whether you use upper or lower case characters in your search strings.

Encoding & Diacritics: Our lookup algorithms cannot find data for searches entered with diacritically-marked characters. However, the system does now find information when entered as unmarked cognates, for example u for ü or Ü, o for ø or Ø, etc.

Indexing: The lookup algorithm presently looks for whatever string of characters is entered in the search box as a string, not word by word. Personal names should be sought by first name followed by surname, without commas, or the Boolean form should be used. Additionally, searches are presently performed in a single index, which may cause false hits (a search for the city Berlin also turns up libraries in Oberlin, Ohio). This can be remedied also by use of the Boolean form or by truncating a word with the space bar (space-Berlin). Country Names and City Names are indexed. You can use the words Firenze, Florenz, or Florence, for instance, to find institutions in Florence, or Cologne for Köln. Indexing for Country names is extensive. For example, Germany is indexed under: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Alemania, Deutschland, Allemagne, German Federal Republic, Germanskaja Federativnaja Respublika, República Federal de Alemania, Républic Fédéral d'Allemagne, and Germany.

US & Australian States and Canadian Provinces: These can be searched by typing in the appropriate alphabetic code, preceded and followed by a space, for example space-NY-space for New York State, space-BC-space for British Columbia, space-NSW-space for New South Wales.

Boolean Searching: The system automatically generates a Boolean "and" form when there are more than 20 hits. There are no "or" or "not" Boolean functions.

Forcing the Boolean "and" Form: Enter the string "Austria" in the original form. This will return the Boolean form on approximately 30 hits. Substitute your first term in the first box for "Austria," add the second term to the second box, and execute the search.

Finding Institutions with Web Sites: To obtain a listing of all institutions with web sites known to the system, type in the string: http. You may also limit a list in a given search to institutions with web sites by using http as the second term on the Boolean form..