Help With DPC Advanced Searches

The Digital Picture Collection's Advanced Search page contains more advanced searching options than on our Quick Search boxes found on every page within this site. Here's a quick overview of the functionality and features of our Advanced features. To perform a search for downloadable images:

1. Enter the criteria you want to perform the search with (keywords, an image number, a photographer/artist/source or by subject).
2. Select 'Photos and Illustration', 'Photography only' or 'Illustration only' to determine the type of images you'd like to see on your Search Results page.
3. Choose the type of search you wish to conduct from the search-type drop-down menu (either 'Match all words' or 'Match any words').
4. Set any optional preferences you want to apply to your search. You may choose from optional settings for image orientation, color vs. black-and-white, images from CDs only, release status, the total number of search results, and the number of search results you would like to display per page.
5. Click 'Search'. You'll be taken to a Search Results page where you can view images.

Search-Type Drop-Down Menus

Advanced image searches at The NYPL Digital Picture Collection allow you to choose the type of search you'd like to conduct, as well as the type of images you'd like to search through. Before you enter your search criteria into the search box, you may select from the two search-type drop-down menus located directly above the search box.

The first drop-down menu provides you with the choice to search both 'Photos and Illustration', 'Photography only' or 'Illustration only'.

The second drop-down menu allows you to search using one of the following two methods:

• Match all words: You will receive only results that have all of your keywords associated with each image. It's the same as inserting an 'AND' between each keyword.
• Match any words: You will receive results that have any one or more of the keywords you entered associated with an image. It's the same as if you added an 'OR' between each word.

Searching by DPC Image Number

Letters appearing in an image number ('os', 'bs', 'wl', etc.) may be entered as caps or lowercase. Separate each number with a comma or the word 'OR'.

Searching By Photographer, Artist or Source

To search for all images within the Collection by the photographer, artist or source publication, enter the appropriate name in the search box. You can search for one or multiple names at the same time.

Exact Phrase Searching

Many keywords are phrases, such as 'courtesan costume', 'manhattan architecture' and 'platemaker linecuts'. If you'd like to view images that match a keyword phrase, you should enter the whole phrase in quotes (double quotes -- not single) in the search box for the most accurate results.