Web Kiosk Help - Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Dumbarton Oaks Collections Database Help

The Dumbarton Oaks Collections database is designed to let you find information in several different ways. Each feature of the database can be accessed through the menu bar on the right side of the screen.

Quick Search

The Quick Search box is displayed at the top of the right menu bar. To use Quick Search, enter one or more words in the box and click the Go button. If a match is found, the results will be displayed as a list of thumbnails with short captions; if no results are found, a message is displayed to "Try again." TIP: Enter the beginning of a search word to retrieve more results, e.g. "paint" instead of "painting."

Browse the Collections

The Browse page provides access to object records that have been organized into category groups called portfolios. The user may access these portfolios by clicking through the categories presented on the page. The categories allow object records to be organized hierarchically and provide a means for guiding the user more directly to desired information. Selecting a category will lead to three hierarchical levels:

1. A sub-category,
2. A group of records related to this sub-category and organized into a portfolio,
3. Individual object records of this sub-category with complete object data.
4. While navigating within the hierarchical categories, the user may return to the previous category by clicking the "Up a Level" text.

Search the Collections

The Search page allows the user to access records in the database directly rather than through predetermined portfolios as with Browse the Collections(see above). The user may also employ additional parameters to the search (see below). The database offers five different search options.

1. Advanced Search

Advanced Search enables the user to search up to six fields of information directly related to the object records. The first drop-down menu on the page contains a list of searchable fields. After selecting a field to search in the drop-down menu, a set of search values will be displayed in a second drop-down list. Select the search value from this list.

If a field contains too many options to include in the list, the list will be broken down by starting letters or numbers, e.g. A, B, etc. When the user selects a letter, a new drop-down menu will open with the options that begin with that letter. Select an option to close that window and complete the search criteria.

Click Add Line to add a second line to the search. The Boolean operators "and", "or", and "except" may be used. All objects records that meet the search criteria will be included in the search results.

To refine any selection of object records made active through a previous search or portfolio, the user may:

• expand the number of records in the selection by choosing "Add to Selection,"
• search only within the active selection by choosing "Search Only Current Selection," or
• ignore object records found in previous searches by choosing "New Selection."

Search Tips

Every value that is listed is linked to at least one record; if your search contains only a single line, you are guaranteed to find at least one record.

For more complex searches, the user can add up to a total of 4 lines. Each line can be joined to the other with an AND, OR or EXCEPT, and each line will be executed in the order in which it is listed.

When using multiple lines in the search, be aware that an AND or EXCEPT search will limit search results; whereas an OR search will likely increase the number of records found.

2. Quick Search (see above)

3. Date Search

The Date Search lets the user search for objects by their creation date. Type a date in the box provided. Values such as "early 19th century" or "1850-1869" will be interpreted as their respective date ranges. From the drop-down menu, select how the date criteria is to be interpreted:

• is circa: the object creation date falls within 5 years to either side of the date entered;
• is equal to: the object creation date falls exactly within the date range entered;
• is earlier than: the object creation date falls within a range before the date entered; and
• is later than: the object creation date falls within a range after the date entered.

Click Add Line to add a second line to the search. All objects that meet either one of the search criteria will be included in the search results.

4. Keyword Search

Keyword Search allows the user to search object records using the same controlled vocabulary of terms that were used to catalog the records in the database.

Depending on how many keywords are in the database, the user may be able to click the FIND KEYWORDS button to display the entire list of available keywords. Alternatively, a smaller set of keywords can be accessed by typing just a few letters like "C" or "Ch" into the ENTER KEYWORD box and then clicking FIND KEYWORDS to find all the words that begin with those letters.

The list in the left column will contain keywords that are available to search with. The list in the right column will contain the keywords that the user has chosen to include in the search. To add a desired keyword to the search, click on it in the left column and click the ADD >> button to move it to the right column. To remove a keyword, highlight the keyword in the right column and click the << REMOVE button.

The user may search with up to 6 keywords at a time. If the user selects more than one word, a decision is necessary as to whether the user wants object records that are linked to ALL the keywords selected or to ANY of the keywords selected. Note that if ALL is chosen, the search will be more and more limited as more words are added. If the search does not find any records, try a less specific search with fewer terms.

Click the FIND button to view the search results.

5. Artist Biographical Search

This search enables the user to search up to six fields of biographical information about the makers of the objects in the database.

The first drop-down menu on the page contains a list of searchable fields. After selecting the field to be searched in drop-down menu, a set of search values will be displayed in a second drop-down menu. Select the search value from this menu.

If a field contains too many options to include in the list, the list will be broken down by starting letters or numbers, e.g. A, B, etc. When the user selects a letter, a new window will open with the values that begin with that letter. Select a value to close that window and complete your search criteria.

When the search query is complete, click the FIND button to view the search results.