Skip to Main Content
Go to Penn Libraries homepage   Go to Guides homepage

Digital Archives: Finding Digital Archives

At Penn

To locate archival databases relating to a specific subject, begin by entering some relevant keywords into Franklin. The example below searches for archival databases related to children's literature: 

 

Screenshot image of the search bar on the Franklin website, located at the upper part of the website page.

 

 

After you click 'Search,' notice that your search results are divided across several fields: Catalog, Articles+, Databases, Colenda, and Website (the last two are cropped out of the image below). For digital archives/online databases, results should appear under Databases**, so click to expand this field and view all results.

 

Screenshot image of search results for "children's literature" on the Franklin website.

**Note, however, that your keywords may not always produce database matches. The Database field will remain empty whenever this is the case. In such instances, consider revising your keywords: use synonyms, think of alternative ways of expressing your research terms, and/or implement advanced searching techniques.

 

 

The expanded results page will display all relevant databases along with with links for access. Depending on the number of results, you can further filter databases (by format, subject, type, etc.) to arrive at the most relevant for your particular needs. 

 

A screenshot image of the database section on Franklin, with the search results filtered by format.

 

[For the most comprehensive list of all digital resources at Penn classified under particular research interests, consult the E-Resources index]

Beyond Penn

Penn Libraries Home Franklin Home
(215) 898-7555