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Using Hull History Centre: Online Catalogue

Guide to how to use the facilities at Hull History Centre including the Local Studies Library, Searchroom, online catalogue, copying and referencing, and the Arcade.

On this page:

“My dream was to have a Library of Congress catalogue number, that's all”

Frank McCourt 

What is the Online Catalogue?

The online catalogue allows you to search Hull History Centre's holdings.

The catalogue contains descriptions of the History Centre's archival and local studies material. Catalogue entries provide:

  • reference number, which is unique to each individual item we hold
  • title, which identifies individual collections and items
  • brief description, which provides an outline of informational content
  • extent of material, which gives researchers an idea of how much material there is, i.e. 1 item, 1 file, etc.
  • access information, such as whether the item is accessible or inaccessible for preservation or legal reasons

It is important to note that the catalogue does not contain digitised images of this material. Therefore, you will need to visit the Centre in order to view any items found using the catalogue.

A Basic Search

So you are ready to get searching...

A basic search allows you to type in any keyword and see what results are returned. It is not a sophisticated way of searching, but can be a good way of gauging whether there might be any material of interest.

Download and read through the following PowerPoint presentation to find out more about using the online catalogue's basic search feature.

Understanding Catalogue Records

Undertaking either a basic or an advanced search returns a list of catalogue records.

Records returned using the History Centre's online catalogue work differently to those returned using the University Library catalogue.

Download and read through the following PowerPoint presentation to find out more about understanding catalogue records.

An Advanced Search

Want to be a bit more targeted in your search...

An advanced search allows you to add defined parameters to your keyword search; such as a date span, collection reference number, and specific repository.

Download and read through the following PowerPoint presentation to find out more about using the online catalogue's advanced search features.

Accessing the Online Catalogue

The online catalogue can be accessed using the link embedded into the image below, and via the History Centre’s website.

Hull History Centre catalogue

Further information about Hull History Centre's collections can be found in the 'Archive Collections at HHC' SkillsGuide.

If you require any advice on Hull History Centre's holdings, the Hull University Archives team are happy to help. Questions should be sent to archives@hull.ac.uk.