Special Collections and University Archives' holdings are listed in SearchWorks. You can limit your search to only materials in Special Collections by selecting “Special Collections" under the Library facet when reviewing results.

If you know the call number of the collection you wish to find, you can enter it into the search box and select Call Number from the drop-down menu.

If you know the name of the creator of a collection you wish to use, enter it into the search box and select Author.

If you do not have a particular collection in mind, try a subject search. Subject headings are drawn primarily from the Library of Congress, but local subjects are used as well.

Understanding a catalog record

A catalog record for an archival collection includes:

• The collection’s author and title, which usually indicate the person or department who created it. Examples: Donald Betrand Tresidder Papers; Stanford University, Department of English, records.
• The collection’s alphanumeric call number. Example: SC0151.
• A physical description of the collection, which gives the extent of the collection as a number of boxes, items, and/or linear feet.
• Biographical or historical notes, which provide information about the individual or organization that created the collection.
• A summary, which indicates what types of material are found in the collection.
• Subject headings, which indicate topics covered by the collection. Example: "Psychology--Research." You can click on a subject heading to view other materials that have also been assigned that heading.
   

For more detailed information about a collection (including box and folder content lists, if available), consult the collection’s research guide, also known as a "finding aid." University Archives finding aids are available online via the Online Archive of California. If an online guide is available, the catalog record will include a link to it.