Contextual Query Language
Expert Search
The Kalliope Union Catalog facilitates searching by the provision of exploratory retrieval methods. However, from time to time it may be necessay or even more convenient to execute a more complex search. For this purpose, we implemented the easy to use retrieval language CQL = Contextual Query Language, maintained by the Library of Congress. You can use this language to search every single index and connect them with Boolean Operators.
Indices you can use with the CQL
- ead.creator
- creators - persons or corporate bodies - of a letter, manuscript, etc.
- ead.addressee
- addressees (recipients) of a letter, inscription, etc.
- ead.id
- record identifier
- ead.archdesc.id
- search for all records of a finding aid with the record ID of the collection level record
- ead.repository
- holding institution
- ead.repository.isil
- ISIL of a holding institution
- ead.unitid
- collection number/call number (item)
- ead.pers
- names
- ead.pers.creator
- creators (persons)
- ead.pers.addressee
- recipients (persons)
- ead.pers.subject
- subject headings (persons)
- ead.corp
- corporate bodies
- ead.corp.creator
- creator (corporate bodies)
- ead.corp.addressee
- recipients (corporate bodies)
- ead.corp.subject
- subject headings (corporate bodies)
- ead.genre
- genre terms/types of material
- ead.geog
- places of origin
- ead.langmaterial
- language of unit (ISO 639-2 code)
- ead.origination
- collection creator
- ead.subject
- subject headings
- ead.keyword
- keywords
- ead.title
- collection and unit titles
- ead.unitdate
- dates of creation
- gi.index
- global index
- ead.creationdate.normal
- creation date
- ead.modificationdate.normal
- modification date
- eac.authfilenumber
- authority record number
- eac.dates
- living dates
- eac.nameEntry
- names (persons and corporate bodies)
- eac.nameEntryCorp
- names of corporate bodies
- eac.nameEntryPers
- names of persons
- eac.occupations
- occupations
- eac.places
- places
- eac.placesActivity
- places of activity
- eac.placesBirth
- birth places
- eac.placesDeath
- death places
- eac.relationships
- relations to other persons
Examples with comments
The basic form of CQL is: [index]=="Suchbegriff", z.B. ead.pers=="Louvet de Couvray, Jean-Baptiste". The Library of Congress offers a comprehensive documentation: The CQL Context Set version 1.2.
Please note that it is currently not possible to perform a combined search of ead.*- and eac.*-indices.
Example 1: Search for letters to Hans Macke
ead.pers.addressee=="Macke,
Hans" AND
ead.genre=="Brief"
Comment: Please compare the search result with the results of the following examples:
- simple search: Briefe Hans Macke
- phrase search: Briefe "Hans Macke"
Example 2: Alternative search for letters to Hans Macke
Example 3: Search for letters by Hans Werner Richter to Profile 68
ead.pers.creator=="Richter,
Hans" AND
ead.corp.addressee=="Profile 68"
Comment: Please compare the search result with the result of the following example: Hans Richter Profile 68
Example 4: Search for call numbers
- ead.unitid=="Mscr.Dresd.App*"
- ead.unitid=="Mscr.Dresd.App.1700"
- ead.unitid=="Mscr*Dresd*App*1700"
- ead.unitid=="Mscr*Dresd*App.1700"
- ead.unitid=="Autogr. I/1466"
- ead.unitid=="Autogr*I/1466"
- ead.unitid=="N.Mus.Nachl. 109,1"
- ead.unitid=="N*Mus*Nachl*109,1"
- ead.unitid=="Kuc2-1-K1394"
- ead.unitid=="Kuc2*1*K1394"
Comment: Call numbers vary from holding institution to holding institution. They are often composed of alphanumerical characters and punctuation marks and are prone to spelling mistakes. The CQL in combination with the truncation option "*" helps to overcome the occasional cataloging glitch and enables searches for groups of call numbers, e.g. of a specific collection: ead.unitid=="Kuc2-1-K*"
Example 5: Search for persons born in Rostock
Example 6: Search for persons born in Rostock AND who were/are politicians
eac.placesBirth=="Rostock"
AND
eac.occupations=="Politiker"
Example 7: Search for persons with birthplace = Rostock AND occupation = Politiker (politician) AND who had been born before 1900
eac.placesBirth=="Rostock"
AND
eac.occupations=="Politiker" AND
eac.dates<=1900
For dates use: < (less than), > (greater than), <= (less than or equal as), >= (greater than or equal as) OR == (exact)