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Advanced searching and filtering
Some advanced search functions of our old system, Archway, aren’t yet available in Collections search. We’re working to improve the site search – for now, the best way to find relevant results is to use the filters on the results page.
Filter your results
You’ll often get a large number of results if you put names or keywords into Collections search. Use the filters on the search results page to find the most relevant records.
The image shows where to find the filters, on the left of the search results page.
The table explains how to use the filters. You can use more than one filter at a time.
Filter title | How it works |
---|---|
Entity type | Filter by what you want to find – individual items, series of records, entire accessions or government agencies. |
Included in series | See records that belong to specific series (groups of records that are related to each other, like probated wills or coroners’ reports). |
Included in accession | Find records that were transferred to us at the same time, as part of a particular accession. |
Controlled by agency | See records that are under the control of a specific government agency. |
Start or end year | Filter by the earliest or latest date that a record was in use. Your results will include only records dated with the years you choose, not the range of years between them – so if you don’t know the exact date, it’s best not to use this filter. |
Digital copy available | See only records that you can view online. |
Location | See only records that are held in a particular archive. |
Access status | Choose open access records, or records you need permission to view. |
The language we use in the search filter can be confusing if you’re not familiar with archival terms.
Find definitions of the archival terms we use in the search filter
Advanced search
We're working to improve advanced search. We'll offer guidance to help you use it here when it's ready.
The how to use the fields in the Advanced search
The table explains what type of information each field contains in the Advanced search, and gives some tips on how to use the fields.
Field name | Meaning | Search tip |
---|---|---|
Name | The title given to the record by the agency or government department that created it. | Enter keywords. The rule can be changed to “Does not contain” to exclude results from your search. |
Description | A description of a record’s contents, written by Archives New Zealand. | Enter keywords. |
Item type | Types of record you can find in Collections search – these include individual items, series (groups) of items, government agencies that control access to records and more. | Choose from options in the drop-down menu. |
Location | The archive where a record is kept. | Enter keywords |
Start date | The earliest date on the record. | Enter: · an exact year · a range of years to get records with a start date within your range |
End date | The last date on the record. | Enter: · an exact year · a range of years to get records with an end date within your range. If you know the dates a record was in use, create a range by entering: · the first year in the From field in Start year, and · the last year in the To field in End year. |
Access status | Whether you need permission to view a record. | Choose from options in the drop-down menu. |
ID | A number Archives New Zealand gives the record and uses to identify it. For Items this is called the R number. Each record has its own unique code (R number). There are also codes for organising principles that have their own entries in Collections search, like Series and Disposal authorities. You can search these here too. A number Archives New Zealand gives the record and uses to identify it. For Items this is called the R number. Each record has its own unique code (R number). There are also codes for organising principles that have their own entries in Collections search, like Series and Disposal authorities. You can search these here too. | Enter: · an exact item code (including the R) – e.g. R25335891 · the start of an item code, including the R, with an asterisk (*) at the end – e.g. R253*. This will find all codes that start with the letters before the * - in this case, R253. This field searches for the exact term you enter and is case sensitive – you won’t find R25335891 if you enter r25335891. |
Record number | The number given to a record by the government agency that created it. | Enter: · an exact record number – e.g. PWD 22371 · the start of a record number with a * at the end – e.g. PWD*. This will find all record numbers that start with, PWD. This field searches for the exact term you enter and is case sensitive. |
Alternative record number | An extra number sometimes given to the record by the government agency that created or controls it. Not all records have alternative record numbers. | Enter: · an exact alternative record number – e.g. ADM14/0 · the start of an alternative record number with a * at the end – e.g. AD. This will find all items whose alternative record numbers start with AD. This field searches for the exact term you enter and is case sensitive. |
Former Archives reference | An old reference number that has been replaced, but that you may still find in some bibliographies or citations. For example, Series 16036 (Memoranda and registered files from the Māori Affairs Department) was previously known by the reference MA1. | Enter keywords. This field searches for the exact term you enter and is case sensitive. Use an asterisk to find former archives reference with different number endings by the same agency. |
Additional description | Extra information about a record, added by our archivists. | Enter keywords |
Item level | The format of the item when it was transferred to us – this can be: · physical · digital · descriptive (for organising principles that have their own entries in Collections search, like Series or Accessions). | Choose from options in the drop-down menu. Choosing Digital in this field won’t find items we’ve digitised – only ones that were created in digital formats. If you’re looking for records you can view online, use the search filter on the results page. Find instructions for using the filter below. |
Get help with advanced searching
If you still need help finding the records you need while we make improvements to Collections search. Contact us for help searching:
within a series or accession
by record number
by agency code.
Start your search
Visit Collections search to look for records.