Quick Search

You can perform a Quick Search by using the box at the top right hand side of the page. This option searches across the title and description fields in the catalogue database. Advanced Search allows you to search across the entire database.

Advanced Search

Any text

Use this field to search across all the text fields in the catalogue database. Type the word(s) you wish to search into the 'Any text' search box, and click on the 'Search' button at the bottom of the screen.

Where more than one term is entered, the search will automatically retrieve records that contain both terms. These terms may not always appear next to each other in the text.

If you want to search for an exact phrase so the words appear next to each other in the text, for example John McGahern, enter the text with double quotation marks, "John McGahern".

Note that this type of search will bring up entries for records from all of the NUI Galway archival collections that are catalogued and available online. To find out which collection an entry relates to, click on the Ref No, and look at the top line of text on the page. We recommend that you have a look at the Collection/Fonds level description for any records you are interested in as this will help you to place the record in context.

Refine advanced search criteria

If you have entered more than one word in your search, clicking ‘Refine Search Criteria’ gives you three ways of refining the results.

‘With all the words’ to search only for records that contain all your search terms

‘With at least one of the words’ to search for records that contain at least one of your search terms

‘Without the words’ to exclude certain words or phrases that might be called up by the search criteria you have chosen.

How can I find out more information about an entry displayed in the ‘search results’ hitlist?

By clicking on the ‘Ref No’ of a particular entry, the full description will be displayed. Click on the ‘Ref No’ again to see the record in its hierarchical context, and to see other records that are in the same collection.