Searching SPEC Objects

Click Search all objects on the SPEC landing page to navigate to the Object search page.

You can search for objects using one or a combination of the following elements:

Search Field Use to search for:
Description Keyword Keywords that may appear in the object title/label, collection, or acquisition title.
Any ID Object barcodes, label numbers, any references, or location barcodes.
Format Keyword Formats (of individual objects and content estimates), container types, and media.
ID / Classmark Any part of any ID associated with a collection, including barcodes.
Division Curatorial division acronyms.
Barcode Object barcode.
Object ID Object identifier.
Shelf Barcode Shelf identifier.
Label Number Object label details, including AMI identifiers.
Object Type Select “container” or “item.”
Status Search for objects whose status is active, inactive, or both.

Note: Searches, by default, will only return Active records unless Inactive is selected in the Status search field.

Note: The Advanced Search feature is currently in beta/testing. Some functionalities may be subject to change or limited availability.

Advanced searches allow users to search using a single field or a combination of over 90 object fields. Click Advanced search on the Object search page to open the Advanced Search window, which offers the following options:

  • Exclude Inactive Records:
    Searches automatically exclude inactive records. Click the box next to Include inactive records to include them.

  • Include Objects on Shelf:
    Searches automatically include objects on the shelf and objects contained in other objects. Click the box next to Include only objects on shelf to exclude objects contained in other objects.

  • Format Searches:
    Format searches include formats associated with objects and their content estimates.

  • Date and Number Ranges:
    Enter date and number ranges using “…” between terms (e.g., 12/4/2021…1/22/2022, 17…25). Click the ? icon for tips on using wildcards and other special search characters.

  • Clear Terms:
    Clears all entered values for the fields selected.

  • Reset:
    Resets all fields and clears any entered values.

Adding Search Criteria:

  1. Click + to add a search criterion.
  2. Select a boolean operator (AND is the default).
  3. Click the gray ( to parenthesize the current and following criteria, turning the parenthesis green.
  4. Select a field to search.
  5. Enter or select a search term.
  6. Click the gray ) to close any open parentheses, turning it green.

Object Barcode App

The Object Barcode App allows users to quickly look up and view basic details about objects and container contents.

To access this tool, click Object Barcode App on the SPEC Landing page. From there, users can click on an object name to view the full Object Record.

Collection Records

From the SPEC Landing page, select Search all collections, search for a collection, and click on the collection name to open the Collection Summary.

Use any combination of the following fields to formulate a search. Results will include records matching all of the search criteria.

Search Field Use to search for:
Collection Creator or Title Keywords that may appear in the collection title or creator.
Division Curatorial division acronym.
ID / Classmark Collection ID or collection-assigned classmark.
Center Research center.

Searching Within a Collection

From the Collection Record, you can call up a list of objects in two ways:

  1. From the SPEC Records section:
    Click on the object count next to Objects. This will show you a list of all known objects related to the collection.

    Note: When navigating to a list of objects from a Collection Summary, all new object records you create will be assigned to that collection. Click Clear to deactivate this function.

  2. From the Object Counts by Format Category section:
    Click View list to the right of any FORMAT listed to call up a list of objects filtered by format.

Searching Objects Within a Collection

You can perform a search of objects within a collection by clicking the magnifying glass icon next to the Objects count. The fields available in this search are:

  • Object Type
  • ID Number Prefix
  • ID or Sequence Number
  • Title or Label

Acquisition Records

You can find objects through an Acquisition Record in three ways:

  1. In the Extent Summary section of the Acquisition Summary, click Go to inventory to call up a list of objects.
  2. In the Extent Summary section of the Acquisition Summary, click Go to format summary to call up a list of objects grouped by format. From here, you can click on any category to call up a format-specific list of objects.
  3. In the Inventory section of the Acquisition Proposal / Edit page, click Go to inventory

Searching Objects Within an Acquisition

You can also perform a search for objects within a collection by clicking the magnifying glass next to the EXTENT SUMMARY label. The available fields in this search are: Object Type, ID Number Prefix, ID or Sequence Number, and Title or Label.

Interpreting Search Results

The object list provides key details for each object, including:

  • Icon: Visually represents the format or container type. Hover over the icon to see the format name displayed in a tooltip.
  • Object Name: The name of the object.
  • Curatorial Division: The division responsible for the object.
  • Acquisition Name: Displays if the object is part of an acquisition but hasn’t been associated with a collection yet, or if the object has been received but not yet linked to a collection.
  • Collection Name: Displays if the object is assigned to a collection.
  • Current Location: Where the object is currently stored.
  • Container Icon: Represents the container storing the object. Hover over the icon to see the container’s name, or click to view the container’s object record.

Object Status Colors:

Objects that are part of acquisitions appear with different colors, indicating their status:

  • Gray: Object is part of a delivery that has not yet been received.
  • Green: Object is part of a received delivery but hasn’t been marked as received.
  • Blue: Object has been marked as received.

Sorting

Search results are typically returned unsorted. You can sort them by clicking any of the search result headers to sort alphabetically either in ascending or descending order.