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HathiTrust Digital Library

A partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.

How do I search in HathiTrust?

A Catalog Search searches a catalog record that lists basic bibliographic information, like title and publisher, as well as information about a book, such as subject terms.

A Full-text Search searches the full content of a book, including title, table of contents, the text itself, and any other sections.

Each type of search offers a basic, Google-like keyword search option as well as an advanced search option.

Some general search tips are:

  • Use quotation marks to look for an exact phrase: e.g., "Grand Canyon"
  • Use boolean operators (and, or, not) to make your search more specific. "AND" combines search terms ("Grand Canyon" AND rafting), "OR" looks for either search term (rafting OR boating), while "NOT" excludes a search term ("White Russian" NOT "cocktail")

How do I use the HathiTrust Research Center?

A list of questions and answers to help you get started using HTRC.

What is the difference between limited and full view documents?

Full-text Results

If a result has the “Full view” option, the work will be available to view, download, search, and add to a collection. Most items will have images of scanned pages and a plain text version.

Search-only Results

If the result has the “Limited (search-only)” option instead of a “Full view” option, the volume is restricted and not available for viewing. These items are likely in-copyright and only available to print-disabled patrons. These items still have a "Search inside the text" option that will find the frequency and page number of specific words and phrases, which may help you determine if the work is worth finding elsewhere.

How do I download a PDF of the document I am viewing?

Many works with a full-text view will have the option to download a pdf. This option can be found on the left side of the full-view page of a work.

Can I access HathiTrust on my mobile?

Yes! Everyone may access the HathiTrust Digital Library on their mobile phone, tablet, or other mobile device. The HathiTrust website (www.hathitrust.org) is responsive to varying screen resolutions and can detect browser size and readjust content accordingly. 

Why can't I view an item?

Items marked Limited (Search Only) mean they are deemed by HathiTrust to possibly be in copyright. HathiTrust cannot display large portions of these protected works without permission from the copyright holder. Until they have gained permission or determined the copyright status of these items, they remain restricted. Some of the Limited items will include snippets of images of pages of pieces of the item. For more information about HathiTrust's copyright policy, see their Copyright FAQ.