Help using the Arch

 The Arch is a subject searchable database tool. By selecting a subject or category, you can view databases specific to that subject area, and search them individually or simultaneously.

 

For help using the Arch, select one of the links below:

 

• Searching the Arch 
  • Searching across Multiple Databases
  • Refining your Results
  • Article Information
  • Searching Individual Databases
• My Account-Logging-In
  • My Saved Records
  • Creating your own sets of Searchable Databases
  • Embedding Collections
  • Embedding Subject Collections

Searching the Arch

The Arch provides access to databases listed within subject areas. The Arch allows for searching across multiple databases, as well as for searching within a single database.

 Searching across Multiple Databases

If you do a default search within a subject category you'll be searching all the databases that have a check beside them, within the Recommended section. If several databases are checked the search will take take longer to return results, as you'll be searching across all of the databases checked. 

After selecting "GO," a "Search Status" screen listing how many article citations within each database will be displayed. The search will return up to 30 records from each database, listed as the "Top Results." If you'd like to access more articles from a specific database, you can click on the database name in the facet to the right of the search results, and access all the articles provided. (See more on facets below)

 

Refining your Results

Facets allow you to refine your results. Facets are listed on the right of the results screen, and include:

• Results by Database (Numbers beside the limits indicate the number of articles per database )
  • Limit top Results by
  • Topic
  • Date
  • Author (numbers indicate how many articles each author listed has in the results)

 

Article Information

To get detailed information (including full-text if available) of the article you've found a citation for, click on the article title.

 

1. Article information: Author, Format, Year, Published in, Database
2. Check for availability (checks library holdings for full-text) Save the Record (log-in to the Arch and save the article information-see "Logging-In" help on this page, below this section
3. Summary-includes an overview of the article
4. Cite this Article: Citations for the article, in APA, MLA, and Turabian.

Hint: if you want to add the citation to RefWorks or a Bibliographic citation management tool, see "Logging-in" help on this page, below this section

Searching Individual Databases

As well as allowing you to search across several databases at once, you can also search individual databases. Upon accessing a subject, you'll see a list of databases and research resources. To search just one database, you can either:

• Select it by using the check box beside the database name (if it's not greyed out) and searching within the Arch interface search box, or,

 

• Click on the database title link (if it's greyed out, this is the only way to search the database) to access the database and search within the native database interface. By accessing the database this way, there will be more search functionality than if you use the above method.

My Account- Logging In

Logging in allows you to create your own set of databases to search or embed in a page, and allows you to save individual articles found when searching databases. Log-in using your NetID and password. For help with logging in, see the ITS NetID page.

My Saved Records

You can only save individual articles for those databases that are federated. You can tell which these are because they will automatically be checked upon accessing a category.

To save Records:

1. Search and find results
2. Click on the "save this record" link and the text will change to "record saved" and the option of labeling your item will appear.
3. Your saved records are stored in the "Save this Record" section of The Arch, on the right of the screen. You can export these records to RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, or you can email them to yourself.

Hint: You can view your collections by self-created labels

Creating your own sets of Searchable Databases

You can create your own collection of databases by searching for individual database titles using the search box, and adding them to your collection.

To add databases:

1. Click on the "add databases and edit" link upon logging in to the "My Saved Databases" section of The Arch
2. Click on the "add databases" link and a search box will appear, prompting you to search for databases by name
3. Add databases by clicking on the green icon beside each database name
4. Once you've added the databases you've chosen for your collection, you can choose to make your collection public or private. The default for each collection is public but you can click on the private link to make it visible only to you. If you choose to make your collection public a URL will be generated for you

5. Select the "I'm done editing" link and you'll see your collection of databases. To remove-click the red x box beside each database. To name the collection, enter the collection name in the "change collection name"  box above your collection
   You can create and add snippets to webpages. See the "Embedding Collections" and "Embedding Subject Collections" sections below

Hint: You can also add databases from the "Database Names A-Z" link. If you find a database you'd like to add to your collection, click on the information icon beside the database name, and you'll have the option to "Save Database."

Embedding Collections

You can embed your collections of databases in webpages, course sites, guides, and more.

To embed a collection of databases:

1. Log in to your account using the Log-in link at the top right of the screen
2. Select "My Saved Databases" under "My Account" on the top right of the screen
3. Select the "Embed Collections" link within the "Embed" category on the right side of the screen
4. A list of "Display Options" will be provided, allowing you to customize how your collection is displayed. You can choose to: Show title, Show search box, Show databases, Show specifc section, and Include CSS.
5. Once you've selected what you'd like to include in the category, you'll see an "Include Options" category. These options generate the code needed to paste into a website, etc. Choose your method and select all the generated code provided in the box below the option you've selected (Server-side include URL, Javascript widget, or HTML Source).

6. Paste the code into a website, or course page and you'll be able to search databases within the subject collection you've included, from anywhere you've added the information.

Embedding Subject Collections

You can embed subject collections of databases in webpages, course sites, guides and more.

To embed a subject collection of databases:

1. Access the subject you want to embed by clicking on it from the main page: http://arch.library.nyu.edu
2. Under the "Embed" category on the right side of the page, you'll see a link entitled "Embed Subject." Select that link
3. There are several display options to choose from, to determine how the subject will display when it's embedded in one of your sites. Under "Display Options", you can choose to: Show title, Show search box, Show databases, Show specifc section, and Include CSS.
4. Once you've selected what you'd like to include in the category, you'll see an "Include Options" category. These options generate the code needed to paste into a website, etc. Choose your method and select all the generated code provided in the box below the option you've selected (Server-side include URL, Javascript widget, or HTML Source).
5. Paste the code into a website, or course page and you'll be able to search databases within the subject collection you've included, from anywhere you've added the information.

Hint: When pasting the code into a webpage, etc, use plain text if it's an option, or paste it directly into the HTML code. If the service you're using to include these embedded subject collections does not provide you with a way to include code, it might not be possible. Contact the adminstrator of the tool to find out more.

If you'd like to add a subject collection into a course page you can ask your subject librarian for assistance.