Philly Research.Net

Welcome to PhillyResearch.net, a gateway to research resources for, by, about, and from the greater Philadelphia area. On this page:

• Six cross-collection search tools
• Links to other research resources

Search tips and hints

	The PACSCL union catalog One-click searching of the special collections portions of 20 member libraries, with more being added. Powered by Z39.50 -- the same search technology used by LibraryThing. Best for: searches for rare books, manuscripts, and archival material when general library resources are not desired. Limitations: Keyword searching not available; searches are slow. Tip: For faster searches, select a subset of libraries. (Another tip: not all special collections materials in these libraries have been cataloged.)
	PACSCL Online Finding Aids Database. This site provides access to finding aids for manuscript and archival collections held by its members, a group of 36 libraries and archives, whose collections offer primary resources on national, regional, and local history; the natural and social sciences; world history; literature; religion; art and architecture; business and industry; and the performing arts. Includes finding aids created by the Hidden Collections project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources. Best for: Searching across collections for newly-added archival resources. Limitations: Not all member finding aids are entered here to date.
Custom Search	Google unified search of the websites of PACSCL and its member libraries. Best for: an overview of libraries' collection strengths and links to digital collections, online exhibitions, and more. Limitations: Google does not search library catalogs. It also does not search all resources such as databases of digital images.
Search for an item in libraries near you: Enter title, subject or author WorldCat.org >>	WorldCat from OCLC Union catalog of thousands of libraries worldwide. Explore the search results to identify any area libraries holding the materials you would like to use, displayed according to those closest to you. Best for: Casting a broad net among area libraries, including public libraries. Limitation: Results may be too general for researchers looking for rare or unique materials.
	PACSCL member library catalogs Best for: Advanced searches of an individual library's collections. Limitation: Each library must be searched individually. Tips: Use the topic selector to find the most relevant catalogs. Remember that some library materials may not yet be cataloged online. Card catalog photo courtesy The American Philosophical Society
	PACSCL's database of unprocessed or underprocessed manuscript collections Best for: finding hidden collections that have not yet been fully processed. Limitation: the survey is a work in progress; not all collections have been surveyed. Collections may not yet be available to researchers.

Other resources of interest to researchers in the Greater Philadelphia area -- links open in a new browser window:

• OAIster: This goes beyond Philly and into the "deep web" of library and archive collections worldwide to find materials that are not searched and indexed by the major search engines. Provides access to many online editions of out-of-copyright books and many primary sources.
• Pennsylvania Digital Library: Online collections from Pennsylvania libraries, including many in the Philadelphia. Just launched, with new collections being added all the time.
• PhillyHistory.org: The City of Philadelphia's growing, searchable database of historical images.
• National History Day/Philly: Everything young history researchers need to enter this exciting program
• Tips for Using a Research Library: Developed by PACSCL for the National History Day/Philly program.
• Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project and The Philadelphia GeoHistory Network, based at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, also searchable via the PACSCL Google Search
• Philadelphia City Directories: eighteenth- and nineteenth-century directories from PACSCL institutions, digitized and mounted on the Internet Archive (a project of the Philadelphia Museum of Art).
• Civil War History Consortium: Inventory of sites, programs, and collecting institutions relating to Philadelphia's role in the American Civil War
• Philadelphia Area Center for the History of Science: Eleven organizations promotoing scholarly and public understanding of the history of science, medicine, and technology.
• Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia: Topical essays and links to resources
• Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary: Interactive site offering a virtual museum, educational resources, more.
• Philly.com: Philadelphia portal including online editions of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News
• Gophila.com: Philadelphia's tourism portal, including a comprehensive online events calendar
• Philaculture.org: The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance