Collections Explorer, Harvard Library’s AI-powered search tool for special collections and archives, has been refreshed with a new design and millions more records to explore.
Collections Explorer lets you search Harvard’s collections using everyday language. You can ask a question, describe a topic, or start with an idea rather than figuring out the exact keywords that might appear in a catalog record.
It can also help you discover connections across different kinds of materials. A search about the history of advertising, for example, might surface books, business records, trade cards, and posters — bringing together materials from across Harvard that can be difficult to find through a single traditional search.
The latest update expands that reach. Collections Explorer now searches 6.5 million records, including 1.4 million newly added image records. It also searches descriptions of archival and special collections, helping you get closer to original materials even when individual items have not been digitized or described one by one online.
The refreshed design is built to make that exploration easier, with a cleaner, more intuitive experience for searching, browsing results, and following interesting paths through the collections.
Collections Explorer is still evolving, and we welcome your feedback as we continue to improve it.