Competency #7: Image of Vatican Secret Archives

This image is one of the corridors in the storeroom of the new premises at the Vatican Library. It holds the Vatican Secret Archives. In addition, on location are several study rooms, reading rooms, an index room, an internal library, and most notably, several laboratories dedicated to the preservation of the secret archives. One laboratory is used for preservation, restoration and bookbinding that attributes to the holdings. Other laboratories are used for the restoration and study of seals while another acts to reproduce photography and digital reproduction. I located this image when I was looking for information about different types of special libraries. I looked at several very large and important libraries and this was one of them. I was browsing on Google for examples.

Much controversy has been had over Dan Brown's Angels and Demons and the portrayal of the Vatican Secret Archives. In the book (and movie), these particular archives are mentioned and sought after.

Not to go unmentioned, the Vatican Secret Archives are known to be greatly indexed, preserved, and protected. I chose this image because it shows the nature of the materials and how they are kept to be preserved. The Vatican Secret Archives is known to reach over 50 miles in shelving and holds documents that date back the the eighth century.

This image was found as the Vatican Secret Archives website and can be found here.
The homepage for the Vatican Secret Archives is here.
To view this archive room virtually you can do so here.

Competency #6: Citation Pearl Growing Search Technique in Library Literature Database

Searching for: Special Archives in Special/Research Libraries.

Using the Citation Pearl Growing search technique, I started with a known item in the Library Literature database. This search will be in the realm of Special Archives or Archival Science.
SS1 = Smart Search (Special Archives) = 208 results


Using the Citation Pearl Growing technique I decided to click on the side links : "New Search By Subject" > "Photographic Archives". By doing this, I have a specific range to choose from. This is one of the results:


From this specific entry the user can click "Photographic Archives" and Library Literature brings all the other like items for users to view. Here is another related entry:


And thirdly, we are able to find another related entry through the index links.


This technique was able to bring a specific search to a subject index. From that point, the helpful results were linked and connected to each other. This was beneficial for the user because it gives a small (but helpful) selection of information that is greatly related to each other. This takes a lot of time away from the searcher.

Competency #6: Specific Facet First Searching Technique in WorldCat Database

Searching for: Special Archives in Special/Research Libraries.

To start this Specific Facet First search, I chose "Special Archives" as the facet. By doing this, I'm hoping to find some information about how other special and research libraries archive their materials. This search could also help by locating information and examples about specific special archives.
Using WorldCat database I received over 37,000. [Too much!]
SS1= kw (Special Archives).


I decided to make the search even more specific from "Special Archives" to "Special Library Archives". This search brought over 11,000 results.
SS2 = kw (Special Library Archives).

The results related more to Special Libraries than to their Archives. Therefore, this specific facet first search has brought back broad results. I needed to make a more specific search. The previous two searches used a keyword search. This third search will be "Special Archives" under the subject search in WorldCat.
SS3 = su (Special Archives).


This search brought 1,348 results that were helpful. They were more specific and less broad. This one in particular was a great resource.


This database encompasses a lot of information and files. The Specific Facet First search technique was a little difficult with WorldCat. Since, so much information is in this database, the user needs to use various specific words in order to obtain a good result.

Competency #6: Building Block Search in ASC Database

Searching for: Special Archives in Special/Research Libraries.

Using the building block technique when searching helps to find accurate results. Let's say I am trying to find articles about libraries or librarians that have special archives or special archiving systems. The building block approach can break down the search statement:

SS1: SU(library OR Librarian) AND (Special Archives OR Archive System).

SS1= NO RESULTS.

SS2: (library OR Librarian) AND (Special Archives OR Archive System).


SS2 yields 24 results and SS1 reached 0 results. SS1 took the exact same components as SS2 but I searched with a "subject" search. This, of course was too narrow so I widened the search to "all fields". The second search was successful.


I also added "archivist" to the search as a building block component and it helped bring in more specific results.
By using the building block technique I was able to find a great article from the Journal of the Society of Archivists about the production, location, changes and standards of archival systems in the Netherlands. The article is a match from the search statement.

Competency #2: Related Blog: Hagley Archives

Hagley Library and Archives blog displays the information and exhibits at the Hagley Museum in Delaware. The library shows different pieces from their special archives on their blogspot. One post describes an exhibit entitled "Beer and Brewing History at Hagley"; it showcases historical materials that were once held at breweries in Delaware and Pennsylvania. From the blog:

"Americans continued to prefer English-style ales until the 1840s when German immigrants introduced lager beer. Fermented using a different type of yeast, lager beer is light and effervescent, a marked contrast to heavy, malty ales. Lager beer was swiftly embraced by American beer drinkers, and by 1875, there were nearly 3,000 American breweries producing over 8.7 million barrels of beer annually. Philadelphia had been a major brewing center since before the Revolutionary War, and the number of breweries in the city continued to increase; in 1890, Philadelphia was home to 91 breweries, many of which were located in the Brewerytown section of the city."


"The Joseph Stoeckle Brewing Company operated Wilmington, Delaware's Diamond State Brewery from 1872 to 1955. The brewery, which was once the city's largest, was demolished in 1962 to make way for Interstate 95 through Wilmington."

Hagley Library and Archive blog is beneficial for library science students that are seeking information about archival science. This blog provides the latest findings and exhibits that is both interesting and educational.

This Hagley Library and Archive blog was found with GoogleBlog.
This Hagley Library and Archive blog post can be found here.
This Hagley Library and Archive blog can be found here.