User's guide to this edition of the FHL Virtual Libraries

Searching

Authors and titles may be searched in any of the FHL Virtual Libraries, i.e., the Spanish, Spanish American, Portuguese, and Brazilian Polymath Collections in the Ignacio Larramendi Virtual Library.

Links to the following searches are displayed in the menu at left:

• Search for a polymath or author: search mask displays various fields for possible searches. The search page also displays some helpful hints.

• Search for a title: search mask displays various fields for possible searches. The search page also displays some helpful hints.

• Simple search for a polymath or author: there is also a generic search box at the top of each web page that can be used to search for a polymath or author.

Results of searches on titles

A list of pages containing mentions of the title searched is shown to the left of the search results. The list appears in a box by category enabling the search to be restricted or expanded to related works and subjects.

Author index record

The index record for an author or polymath contains a picture of the author, where available, along with sections dealing with the author's life, career, and works.

A particular and especially useful feature of our data management systems is the key word section with links to authors related to the chosen link. For instance, clicking on the "Botany" link returns a list of polymaths relating to that topic.

Each author has been assigned a control number based on the data included in the respective index record.

Bibliographic record

Below is an explanation of those record items that are related to cataloguing works as digital objects. These fields are specific to this new electronic medium and complement those used for traditional media.

• Control number: As in the case of the author index record, an assigned number identifying the record of a work in the database.

• Publication: Refers solely to the electronic publication and will henceforth be termed the "digital resource". It comprises the creation date of the digital resource, that is, the date when the work on traditional medium (e.g., print) was digitized and uploaded to a website for the first time. It is a sort of digital imprint.

• Notes: Contains two items of information. One, the date when we first noted the digital resource for cataloguing in our Digital Bibliographic Management System (DIGIBIB) on the website where it had been registered as a digital publication. This item will in future be listed separately under the heading "Manifestación" [Appearance], marking the date when it first appeared as a digital resource.

The second information item is a description of the original work before digitization into a digital resource. This item will in future be listed separately under the heading "Estado [Status].

• Type of electronic publication: See the Icono de archivo electrónico icon indicating that the file is an electronic or computer file. Other icons used include:

• Icono de monografía For electronic or computer files that are entire works.

• Icono de capítulo o de parte de una monografía For electronic or computer files that are chapters or sections of a larger work.

• Read electronic file: The option to read the electronic file is included at the top of the record, next to the title, and again at the end of the record. The following icons are used according to format type or location:

• Icono de enlace externo Read file on outside source (links to a file in any format on another website).

• Icono de archivo PDF Read file in PDF format (opens file directly in Acrobat Reader).

• Icono de archivo de imagen Read file in image format (transfers to another page on our website with thumbnails where page images can be downloaded using the Icono para descargar archivo icon or read directly by clicking on pages using our page viewer).

• Icono de archivo ePub Read file in this digital book format (where a work has been converted to this format, the record will include an icon offering a free download of the reader to the user's computer). These files may be downloaded directly for loading onto users' digital book readers.

• Icono de archivo MOBI Read file in this digital book format (where a work has been converted to this format, the record will include an icon offering a free download of the reader to the user's computer). These files may be downloaded directly for loading onto users' Kindle e-book readers.