Help section

Searching the Archives Portal by Name

Use a name search if you know the name (eg Access to Archives) or acronym (eg A2A) of the resource. Name searches do not refer to the parent organisation, but to the name of the resource.

Searching the Archives Portal by Keyword

Use a keyword search to find resources that relate to a common theme. Keywords reflect the theme of the initiative, resource or project. For an index of terms relating to keywords go to the glossary.

Searching the Archives Portal by Region

Use a region search if you are interested in resources in a particular geographical area.

An international search would reveal any resources of international importance that are maintained outside of the United Kingdom.

A regional search on the United Kingdom would reveal resources created in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Alternatively, you can search by specific English region. When a resource, project or initiative relates to one or more of the English regions, but not to England as a whole, the name of the appropriate region or regions will appear. The English regions correspond to the areas covered by each of the nine Museum, Library and Archive councils, which in turn mirror the English Regional Development Agencies. Details of what local authority areas comprise each English region are set out below:

• East of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire)
• East Midlands (Leicestershire and Rutland, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire)
• West Midlands (Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire)
• Northeast (Northumberland, Co Durham)
• Northeast (Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire)
• Yorkshire and Humber (North Riding, East Riding, West Riding and York)
• Southeast (Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Buckinghamshire)
• Southwest (Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset)
• London