Certain databases provide users with access to thousands of images. The Potter Library has access to rich sources that would be useful to you in your research. What is most important to understand is many databases, unlike Internet sources, will allow you to save and organize images.

• Search like you would in the catalog, using your keywords. For example:
• "costume design"
• fashion
• costume
• Edwardian
• "Paul Poiret"
  

• Search the catalog or a database using a few keywords on your topic and enter them into the search box. TIP: Don't write out a sentence. Your results will be few or zero.
  
• How do you get keywords. Write out what you are looking for. For example, I want to find images on men's Edwardian fashion.
• Look at the sentence. What are your key words? I want to find images on men's Edwardian fashion.
• Men, Edwardian and fashion are what you would use for your search.
• TIP: DON'T STOP THERE! As you research, you may need to refine your searches. Remember about broadening and narrowing your search. For example, gay rights and adoption may be too broad. You may need to narrow to a region or time period.
  

Additional Tricks for Searching Databases

• Always go back and revise your search! Look at using different terms and synonyms.
• Use the Subject Terms or Thesaurus link in databases to find the best search (or descriptor) terms to use.
• When using a phrase, use quotation marks. The words in the phrase will then be searched together. Ex. "costume design"
• Try to switch to the Advanced Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
• Try to use Boolean Operators - AND, OR - when running a search.
• What's Boolean? A way to help narrow and broaden your search.
• AND: narrows your search. Ex. "Victorian dress" AND men
• OR: broadens your search. Ex. costume ORfashion
• Always check your spelling if the catalog or database results are zero.
• To look for full-text use the "check availability at Ramapo", "primary catalog" or "check availability" links in the databases.

Suggested Databases for Image Searches
ArtStor	A repository of hundreds of thousands of digital images and related data; The tools to actively use and store those images	Tips for Using ArtStor
JStor	A database providing access to images found in both JStor and ArtStor.	Tips for Using JStor

NEW Upcoming collection announced in ArtStor!

Date:TBD