Expert Search

This expert level of searching provides for the use of Boolean operators with Types of Searches. You can search up to three types of search terms at once. You also can include and exclude terms by using and, or, not, and near. There are 8 search functions available

Example: If you wish to find all postcards of Oil Springs at the Oil Museum of Canada not created by Louis Pesha, you would search as follows:
  • Select Object Name as the first search type.
    Type "postcard" in the search box.

  • Select the "AND" and Subject/Image on the second line.
    Type "Oil Springs" in the search box.

  • Select "NOT" and Artist/Maker on the third line.
    Type "Pesha" in the search box.

  • Click Search or press the Enter key on the keyboard.


Search Tips:


There is one additional search term avalible in the Expert Search:

INSTITUTION NAME: Use this field in combination with at least one other field such as object name, choosing one of the 3 museum locations – Lambton Heritage Museum, The Oil Museum of Canada or The Lambton Room.


As with the Simple Search and Advance Search, you can also use the search fields below:


OBJECT NAME SEARCH: type in the name of the object you are looking for. Be as specific as possible. FOR EXAMPLE: Postcard


NAME SEARCH: Use this function when searching for information on a specific person. For a more accurate search, use “quotation marks” and try both “First Name Last Name” and “Last Name, First Name”. Remember to try all variations of the name spelling, such as McBeth, McBeath, MacBeth when looking for information on someone named McBeth.


SUBJECT/IMAGE SEARCH: Use this function while searching for information about a person or place that may be in a photo, painting, or newspaper article. This function is most useful for searching the Sarnia Observer Index from the Sarnia Library and Lambton Room, and the Sarnia Observer Negative Collection found at the Lambton Room


TITLE SEARCH: Use this search function when trying to find information from a newspaper headline or image title. FOR EXAMPLE: Typing the work “shipwreck” will find all times the word shipwreck is found in headlines from the Newspaper index or the Sarnia Observer Negative Collection. It will also find any instances when the word shipwreck is found in image titles.


ARTIST/MAKER/MANUFACTURER SEARCH: Use this field when searching for information on an object made in Lambton and by a specific company, person or store. FOR EXAMPLE: Doherty Stove Works will find all records relating to Stoves made by the Doherty Manufacturing Company.


LOCATION IN COUNTY SEARCH: Use this function to find what holdings are in the Museums from certain municipalities throughout Lambton. FOR EXAMPLE: Warwick will find objects relating to Warwick Village and Warwick Township.