Gateway instruction

A DIGITAL REFERENCE INSTRUCTION SERIES BY BRISTOW PUBLIC LIBARARY

How to use the Gateway to Oklahoma History

Basic guide to discover historical photos, newspaper articles, and more

So.. what is the Gateway?

The Gateway to Oklahoma History is a digital repository of items pertaining to Oklahoma history. A collaborateive effort between the Oklahoma Historical Society and University of North Texas Libraries' Digital Projects Unit, it is free to for anyone to use. It is also easy to navigate: searchers can search, find, and view historic photographs, newspapers, maps and other documents, making it a favorite of history scholars and high school students alike.

Objectives

Learn how to use the Gateway to Oklahoma History database effectively and efficiently.

Intended outcomes

Users will be able to successfully use the database to find needed information about Oklahoma history.

in your browser type: https://gateway.okhistory.org/(or just click on the url above).

Let's get started

Navigate the landing page

• Here's the search bar. For our subject, let's type Alexander Posey.
• Click the black button to choose from list if object types; for now though, let's select "Everything" (we'll do more advanced searching later)
• Click "Search"

There are various ways to filter your results. Unless you already know exactly what you're looking for, the partenering library, or the name of the collection the object is in, you likely will not need to filter by the first two options "Partners" and "Collections". Let's click on "Serial/Series Titles".

Under "Available Filters"

Filter by Serial/SeriesTitle:

Here is list of all the newspapers with articles about my subject, Alexander Posey. I selected "Mukogee Daily Phoenix", but there are many more to choose from. This filter is handy if you know exactly what newspaper published an article about your subject. Let's move on to "Resource Types".

• Clicking "Photograph" resources will filter your results to only images that pertain to your subject
• Selecting "Text" resources will filter out everying except for text documents about your subject that are not newpaper articles or books.
• Choosing "Book" resources will result in books that have information about your subject
• Clicking "Journals/Magazine/Newletter" resources will filter your results to only include periodicals such as newsletters and magazines that pertain to your subject.
• Selecting "Newspaper" resources will result in newspaper articles about your subject.

Filter by Resource Type

• These results show two books that have information about Alexander Posey.
• I selected Between Two Worlds by Arrell Morgan Gibson.

• Once I find the information I need, I can cite this resource, as all the bibliographic information I need is listed here underneath "Who", "What", and "When"
• I can flip through the pages and read the book here underneather "Interact with this book"
• I can also search this book for information about Alexander Posey! Underneath "Interact with this book is a section called "search inside" with an adjacent search bar. After typing my subject I click the orange "Search Inside" button.

Let's select "Book" resources

Now find the "Interact with this Book" section. See the search bar? Type Alexander Posey inside and click the orange "Search inside" button. Click on the page you want to read: it will open in a new tab.

Select Between Two Worlds by Arrell Morgan Gibson. Scroll down and notice the bibiographic information: the author, publisher, publishing date, etc.

Then, click on Resource Types in the left column. Select "Book"

Go to https://gateway.okhistory.org/ and search for "Alexander Posey". Make sure the search is set to "Everything" by clicking the black button and selecting "Everything".

Your turn!

Here's a page from the text about Alexander Posey. Click it: did you get the same results?

Let's try a new search!

• Click on the tab you were previously in.
• Above the orange "Search" button there is a link to a drop-down menu called "More search options" click it
• Now select "Advanced Search"

Advanced Search

• Narrow your perameters by entering all the known information you have about a subject: a title, author, etc.
• You can also narrow your results by selecting date ranges
• You can also search within a text while also searching for a text!
• You may also narrow your results if you know the name partenering libary or collection the object is in.

Expand your advanced search w "*"

I want to find sources about Indian Territory, a name given to the lands owned by various indigenous tribal nations (today known as the US State of Oklahoma). Resources often refer to this era as the Territorial Era.

• territorial
• territory
• territories

Expand your advanced search with "*" (continued)

To save myself time I am going to search for territor*The asterisk serves like a wildcard. By using it, I will get results that include the words:Finally, I'll click the orange search button.

Let's click Resource Types

• Partners and Collections

• Serial/Series Types

• Geographical filters such as World Regions, Countires, US States, and Counties

• Time-related types, such as Decades, Years, Months, and Days.

Just like in our serach of Alexander Posey, our search for territor* has the same available filters to narrow our results:

Thre are five resource types

Four

Three types

Two

one resource type

How many resource types are there?

Now, let's select the "Sound" resource type.

Select "Resource Type"s

Your turn!

Is this what you found?

Let's Review

• You can search for any subject from the main page
• You can filter your result types by library, collection, time frame, or by Resourse Type
• Resource types incluide: images, sounds, newpaper, serials, books, and text.
• There is an Advanced Search Feature
• The "*" allows you to broaden your search to include other similarly spelled versions of your subject.

There are other advanced ways to search, but wait to use them until you feel comfortable searching the methods we learned today.

Questions?

How to find Help

• In the top right corner, there is an "About"section, click on it
• Note there are many options.
• Let's click on "Help"

Help Menu Options

• The FAQs section offers quick answers to frequently asked questions about how to use the Gateway.

• The Guides section offers In-depth help with using the Gateway's resources. Note: this is a great resource to use once you are more familiar with using the Gateway.

• The Glossary offers definitions of words used throughout the Gateway to Oklahoma History.

• Finally, there is a Contact option for use if you are still having a hard time with the database.