What is Collection SearchBETA?
The beta version is under construction and will be for a while, but once fully developed, this new search engine will allow users to search all of the collections available to the public at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) from one starting point. This tool will eventually search more than a hundred stand-alone databases currently available on our website from a single search box. As well, this completely redesigned tool features best practices from research experiences at LAC.
Some functions, like the advanced search and the details fields of some archival records, are not available at this time. These capabilities are still being developed, and we will add them as they are completed.
We are looking to improve your user experience. Your ideas and opinions are therefore welcome! Please email us comments!
What will I find in the new Collection SearchBETA?
A search in the beta version will give you results from the following databases:
Archives tab| Database |
Information available |
|---|
| Order in Council |
Record-level display - Brief |
| Cabinet Conclusions |
Record-level display - Brief |
| Archive Search - Simple (Collections and Fonds) |
Record-level display - Brief |
| Film, Video and Sound |
Record-level display - Details |
| Diaries of William Lyon Mackenzie King |
Record-level display - Brief |
| Post Offices and Postmasters |
Record-level display - Details |
Images tab| Database |
Information available |
|---|
| Images |
Record-level display - Basic |
Library tab| Database |
Information available |
|---|
| AMICUS (National Library Collection) |
Record-level display - Brief |
| Indian Affairs Annual Reports |
Record-level display - Brief |
Genealogy tab| Database |
Information available |
|---|
| Courts Martial of the First World War |
Record-level display - Brief |
Co-Lab tab| Database |
Information available |
|---|
| All of the above databases containing digitized content compatible with Co-Lab |
Your contributions! |
Please consult About Co-Lab for more information on this brand-new tool.
New capabilities in Collection SearchBETA
- Refine your search more easily on the results page by using the tabs and the filters
- Order your results by relevance, title (A-Z / Z-A) or date (ascending or descending)
- It is now possible to adjust the number of results displayed on your results page (10, 25, 50 or 100 results)
- You can download a document with your search results with up to 1000 results in the following formats : HTML, PDF, CSV, XML, JSON
- You can print your search results
- Search results with one or many digital images will present these images in a carrousel just above the title of the record. You can click on them to preview them right from the search results page, or click the title to navigate to the record itself
- Audio-visual items from our collection that are published on the LAC YouTube page will now have the YouTube link connected to the item in Collection SearchBETA
- Navigation between the pages of your search results is now optimized to improve access to more results.
- Preview a larger version of the images in a carrousel by clicking to open the image previewer
Why develop a new search tool?
We are developing this new tool to offer users an easier and more efficient method to search our collection.
Will this affect the current search options?
We are launching this new tool as a BETA site, running in parallel and having no impact on our databases and current search options.
