Finding aids

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Finding aids are hierarchical descriptions of individual collections of manuscripts, archival materials, and other distinct groupings, also known as "archival description." The levels of finding aids include, from largest to smallest: collection, series and sub-series, box, folder, and item levels. Most archival descriptions go only to the box or folder level, but almost all Folger finding go all the way to the item level.

Finding aids complement the bibliographic descriptions found in library catalogs like Hamnet. Starting in the early 2000s, the Folger Shakespeare Library began converting its paper-based finding aids into electronic form, and creating new finding aids directly online. The result is the Folger's Finding Aid Database.

For general guides to finding information about specific topics at the Folger, see Research guides.

Shakespeare and performance finding aids

Hierarchical descriptions of collections related to Shakespeare and Performance at the Folger include:

Early modern finding aids

Hierarchical descriptions of collections from the Early Modern period at the Folger include: