The National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Institution, is dedicated to advancing knowledge of Native cultures in the Western Hemisphere through partnerships and provides online access to its extensive collection of over 590,000 ethnographic and archaeological items. Users can search the collection by various categories, including culture, artists, and object specifics, while the website offers guidance on copyright and image usage for educational purposes. The museum's mission emphasizes understanding Native cultures, both past and present, and it encourages responsible usage of its records and images.

1. The National Museum of the American Indian Online searching for items at © Neeta Lind, 10/4/04 © Yo Hibino 10/05/05

2. The National Museum of the American Indian? Smithsonian Institution In Washington, DC In New York, NY “… committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of the Native culture of the Western Hemisphere, past, present, and future, through partnerships with Native people and others.” - NMAI Mission Statement Online at http://www.nmai.si.edu

3. What do they have? Ethnographic items Photographs Archeological items Art (Modern and Contemporary) High Bear, Sioux portrait (P27309) Another Feather from Moon’s Nest by Jim Schoppert (25/4629) All images courtesy of The National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution Culbreath point (7725) Chippewa shoulder bag (1/1125) Dug up Found Given Taken Bought (590,000 records – the largest collection in the world !)

4. Online Searching at http://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections Search items by Peoples/Cultures Artists/Individuals Places Object Specifics Advanced

5. Peoples/Culture Search Step 1: choose collection category Step 2: Select culture By map By drop-down menu Just type in the name Step 3: click

6. Results lists (Chippewa/Ojibwa search) Each short record shows: Small image Object description Culture Place of origin Accession # # of items Next page

7. Items: Records

8. Items: Images Click to enlarge Different photographs of same object (and of its accession card) Measuring tool (cm)

9. Saving URLs (& hyperlinking) To get back to this page quickly, you can simply copy the URL {CTRL C} … and paste it into a file or hyperlink {CTRL V} Why do this instead of downloading the image? Both image and its record Doesn’t take up memory on your server Copyright ethics (when not using for educational setting)

10. Using item images in school reports Copyright/Fair Use: no charge “for a school paper or project where only a single copy will be produced” Citing/crediting: With the image, you should include Culture/People Object name “ Courtesy, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution” the catalog number in brackets Tlingit Oystercatcher rattle. Courtesy, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution [2875] example:

11. How to copy an image On a PC computer On a Mac computer Copy & Paste Right click on the image Select “Copy” from menu Open document Place your cursor where you want the image Paste with CTRL+V Hold down CONTROL while clicking on image Select “Copy image” from menu Open document Place your cursor where you want the image Paste with OPEN APPLE+V Download for later upload Right click on the image Select “Save As” from menu Select a type (.jpg or .gif are standard) Name the file something unique Hold down CONTROL while clicking on an image Select “Save image as…” from menu Name the file something unique

12. Searching… beyond Peoples/Cultures search Artists/Individuals - if you already know a specific artist or organization Places Type site name Choose from pull-down menus

13. More search options… Object Specifics Doesn’t work for photographs From pull-down menus: Type of item Technique Material Limits your search. Use this when you already have an idea of what might be in the collection.

14. Advanced Search Combine ways to search Additional searching Object specifics for photographs by Catalog Number

15. Questions? More information can be found on the museum’s search site at http://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections