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Hathi Trust: Collections In HathiTrust

Learn More about Hathi Trust and what Hathi Trust membership offers you!

What are Collections in HathiTrust?

HathiTrust Collections refer to curated subsets of the larger HathiTrust Digital Library. These collections are often created by users, libraries, or researchers to organize and group specific materials around a particular theme, topic, or research area. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Key Features of Individual HathiTrust Collections:

  • Custom Curation: Users can create their own collections by selecting items from the HathiTrust Digital Library. These collections can focus on specific topics, authors, time periods, or any other criteria of interest.

  • Public or Private: Collections can be made public, allowing others to access and benefit from the curated materials, or they can be kept private for personal use or research.

  • Research and Teaching: Individual collections are useful for research projects, course materials, or thematic studies, allowing researchers or educators to gather relevant materials in one place.

  • Searching and Sharing: These collections can be easily searched, shared with others, and referenced in academic work. They are often used to support research by providing a focused selection of resources.

Examples of Use:

  • Thematic Collections: A scholar might create a collection of 19th-century American literature or World War II government documents.

  • Course Materials: A professor could curate a collection of readings for a specific course, allowing students easy access to all the necessary texts.

  • Research Projects: A researcher working on a specific topic might create a collection of relevant texts, articles, and historical documents from the HathiTrust repository.

Searching Public Collections

Use the Shared Collections Link to search over 8,500 curated collections.  You can browse shared collections using the facets on the side bar.

Create Your Own Collection

To create a collection in HathiTrust, you first must login to your account using your TU credentials. 

  1. Search for Materials:

    • Use the search bar to find books, journals, or other materials that you want to include in your collection.
    • You can search by title, author, subject, or keywords.

  2. Select Items for Your Collection:

    • Once you find an item you want to add, click on the title to view the item’s full record.
    • On the item’s page, look for the “Add to Collection” option. This button is usually located in the “Tools” section on the right side of the page.

  3. Create a New Collection:

    • If this is your first collection, you’ll need to create a new one. Click “Add to Collection,” and then choose the option to “Create a New Collection.”
    • You’ll be prompted to name your collection and provide a description. You can also set the collection’s privacy settings (public or private).

  4. Add More Items:

    • Continue searching and adding items to your collection. You can add as many items as you like.
    • If you want to add more items to an existing collection, simply choose the desired collection when you click “Add to Collection.”

  5. View and Manage Your Collection:

    • You can view your collections by clicking on the “Collections” link in the top navigation bar (after logging in).
    • Here, you can manage your collections, including editing the title, description, or privacy settings, and adding or removing items.

  6. Share Your Collection:

    • If your collection is public, you can share the link with others. Public collections are also searchable by other HathiTrust users.
    • You can use these collections in research, teaching, or for collaborative projects with colleagues.

Tips for Creating Effective Collections:

  • Organize by Theme or Topic: Group items that are related to a specific theme, topic, or research question.
  • Use Descriptive Titles and Notes: Clearly label your collections and use the description field to explain the focus or purpose.
  • Regular Updates: If your research or interests evolve, regularly update your collections by adding new materials or removing outdated ones.

Creating collections is a powerful way to make the resources of HathiTrust more manageable and aligned with your specific needs.