The Greater Sudbury Historical Database is in the process of being replaced with a new, more functional database.
In the interim, here are some tips for searching the current database.
The homepage of the database gives you a few options for your search. Choose the appropriate search option by clicking on the arrow of the drop-down menu to the left of the search bar.
Searching by Title
When searching within the Title field (which is also the default search field on the homepage), the database will search for the word(s) you have entered only in newspaper titles and photograph title fields of the resources within the database.
Searching by Author
When searching within the Author field, the database will search for the word(s) you have entered only in the newspaper author fields of the resources in the database.
Note: When searching someone’s name, remember to try different spellings, even if you know the correct spelling, those writing the documents may not have.
Searching by Subject
When searching within the Subject field, the database will search for the word(s) you have entered in the Subject field of newspaper articles and photographs. The subject could include anything from a person’s name, place names, or objects that appear in a newspaper or photograph. Subjects are determined by the database manager and therefore might include keywords not explicitly stated in other fields.
Note: This method is best used when searching for people and by using their last name.
Searching by Date
When searching within the Date field the database will search for the date(s) you have entered only in the Date fields of newspaper articles and photographs. Remember that not all photographs have associated dates, or specific dates.
Searching by Numerical
When searching within the Numerical field, the database will search for the numerical code(s) of the photographs in the collections.
Searching by Keyword
When searching within the Keyword field, the database will search for the word(s) you entered in all fields.
Note: This is the best-all around search method. It is most effective when only one or two keywords are used – generally, the fewer used the better.
Limiting Search Results to Photographs
If a search has turned up results, it is possible to limit those results to view only the photographs.
For a keyword search:
- Click “Modify Search”
- Select “Photo” from the drop-down menu
- Click “Submit”
A new list will appear that shows only the photographs returned by the search.
For an author, title, subject, date or number search:
- Click “Limit / Sort Search”
- Select “Photo” from the drop-down menu
- Click “Submit”
A new list will appear that shows only the photographs returned by the search.
