Map Search FAQ

• How do I search?

  To perform a search, you first need to define your area of interest and then perform the search. To define an area, click Press to Select Area on the map. Then click on a starting point on the map and then click on the opposite corner to create a rectangle. By clicking on Search above the map, you will retrieve matches for that area.

• I am having difficulty selecting an area

  Selecting a rectangular area to search is simple once you understand the technique. First, select the Press to Select Area button on the map. Then, move to the top left corner of the region you wish to search and click and release the left mouse button. As you move the mouse now you will notice a rectangle is being drawn which represents your region. When you click and release the mouse again, you define the lower right corner of the region to search. Do not press the mouse button and drag the mouse, as this will drag the map around, and will not define a region to select. Once your region is correctly identified, press the Search button to view matching results.

• Why can't I search by address or by a point?

  This collection is composed primarily of points, so area searching is much more effective than point searching.

• What is being searched?

  The data searched depends upon the material type. For newspapers, the place of publication is searched. For maps, the geographic coverage is searched. And for photographs, the location the photograph was taken is searched.

• Why so few hits?

  This interface is in beta testing, as we add more coordinate information to our database to search. Check back often to see our progress!