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Archival Finding Aids

Selected Finding Aids to Archival Collections

Archival collections often require fairly detailed descriptions in order to accurately convey their research value. These descriptive tools are called finding aids or guides to the collections. They provide context about the state of collection, the arrangement, processing procedures, and background information about the person or organization whose papers constitute the collection.

This site provides access to more than one hundred electronic finding aids to archival collections held by the five partners of the Center for Jewish History. The first ninety of them were part of a pilot project supported by the grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This is naturally only a small portion of our extensive archival collections, but the number is growing. Please check this site periodically for new additions.

Researchers can also consult the printed catalogs, paper inventories, and card catalogs available in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room of the Center for Jewish History. The Lillian Goldman Reading Room Staff is comprised of experienced multilingual archivists and librarians who are available to provide further help and guidance. Do not hesitate to ask them for assistance.

Electronic finding aids can be browsed by partner institution by clicking on the appropriate logo below (where are also available short summaries of individual collections), by searching the database using the search tool beneath the logos, or by simply scrolling through the sample list below. Each electronic finding aid contains a navigation bar on the left hand side to facilitate movement within the document. If you click on the Scope and Content Note on the navigation bar, you will find a general assessment of the research value of the collection. If you click on the Series title, you will be able to see the list of folders for the Series.


Finding Aids by Institution



AJHS

ASF

LBI

YUM

YIVO

Search the Finding Aids Database

Search Term:



*please note this search utility does not query the partner Database Resources

Search Help

  • Do not use the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT.
  • Use quotation marks to search for exact phrases: "berlin collection"
    This example finds records that contain Berlin collection of propaganda but not Berlin propaganda collection
  • Use  +  to mark essential terms: +berlin +collection
    This example finds records that contain both words.
  • Use  -  to exclude word(s): +berlin -collection
    This example finds records that contain berlin but not collection.
  • Use  *  to truncate a word: ber*
    This example retrieves berlin, berliner, berthold, etc.
  • Use parentheses to group similar terms: +berlin +(collection shanghai)
    This example finds records that contain the words berlin and collection, or berlin and shanghai
  • When no operators are used the terms are considered optional: berlin collection
    This example finds records that contain at least one of the two words.
  • Searches are not case-sensitive

Selected Archival Finding Aids

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