How to Search the Text Collection

Yes, use either Quick Search or the Advanced Search fields: Search all fields, Title, Full-Text, Date and/or Subject Terms.

Original order is the sequence or grouping in which documents were originally stored by those who created them, and maintaining the original order preserves the context of their creation. It also provides valuable evidence about the organization and/or person who created the records. To view digital items this way follow these steps:

1. Open a new “Advanced search”
2. Copy / paste the folder title of interest into the “In Folder” search field.
3. On the results page, set the “Sorted by” drop-down menu (on the top right) to “Item ID = Asc”, which will organize the results in the original order.

Please consult our Finding Aids for more information on the topical areas covered in our collections. This background will help you construct searches.

Located next to all search fields, Literal returns results that exactly match the entered search terms. Fuzzy accounts for spelling variations and/or errors. Therefore, selecting fuzzy will broaden your search. For a better result use fuzzy search when using the “Full Text” field.

Yes, use the Advanced Search field labeled, “Full-Text”.

Yes, use the Advanced Search field, “Search in Collection”.

Once you are in a Document level record, you can see all other documents by the same author by clicking on the “Similar Items” link.

Yes, though mainly within File level records, which include a list of subjects. Clicking on one of the subject terms will get you a list of files that have the same subject.

Use the “Look Inside” tab found along the top of all record types to see all items or other records connected to that record or folder.

Use the “Browse the Collections” window within these record types (on the right side) to link to any level in the hierarchy above your current location.

From a file/folder level record, you can browse the contents of a file by either clicking on the “Look Inside” tab, or by clicking on the “Similar Items” link in the “Found In” field. You can also use the “Browse the Collections” window to link to any level in the hierarchy above your current location.

From a document level record, you can browse the other documents in the same file/folder by either clicking on the folder title link, or by clicking on the “Similar Items” link within the “In Folder” field.

The database does not save searches.

There are two ways to record the location of items in a reliable way, so that they can be found later.

1. Choose an item within your search result
   • Find More Options on the left-side menu
   • Then choose Show URL for a permanent URL of the record
2. Choose an item within your search result and note the Item ID, which is a unique identifier for the record. There are two ways to retrieve the record with the Item ID:
   • In Quick Search, input the Item ID number into the Quick Search field and your query will retrieve the matching record as the first result with the Item ID in bold
   • In Advanced Search, input the Item ID into Search all fields and your query will retrieve the matching record as the first result with the Item ID in bold

We use embedded metadata, which can tell you who owns the document, the title, and much more (if you have the professional version of most PDF readers). Embedded metadata is helpful since it is information about the image or file that will live within it no matter where that digital asset is stored. Often, this kind of information is lost as when digital items end up being saved quickly with non-descriptive file names or if they are re-purposed on various websites, blogs, and social media sites. The JDC Archives uses Adobe Acrobat to access the embedded metadata, or information about the digital object. If you are using the free version of Adobe Acrobat, you will see the title and author information. Here is how to access it:

1. Right click and choose the “Document Properties” menu option
2. In Document Properties’, the “Description” tab will show the title and author

Our preferred citation: Repository, Title of Collection, Folder number, Title of item, Date of item. Example: JDC Archives, Records of the New York office of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, 1914-1918, Folder #143.3, Cablegram from Albert Lucas to Ambassador Francis, 08/07/1917.

We welcome researchers. You can Request Information, Contact Us or email us at archives@jdc.org. If you are interested in visiting, please Schedule a Visit through our online application.

The Society of American Archivists has published Using Archives: A Guide To Effective Research to address the basics of accessing historic materials in archives.

Please view About the Archives, in which the FAQ section will address some basic questions regarding JDC Archives.

The database is made up of records describing items and their location within each collection. Most collections have the following set of record types as the hierarchy: (1) Collection (2) Sub-Collection (3) Record Group (4) Series [if any exist] (5) File/Folder (6) Document.

Yes, when you select a search result, it will include both a “Browse the Collections” widget, which provides an outline view of the collection and your location within it, and the “Full Reference” field describing your location.

We digitize text documents from microfilm reels, which is why our digital images are in black and white. We also digitize at the document level rather than the folder level, so you can access each document individually. We have digitized 2.7 million pages and regularly add to our database as collections are digitized.