Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do you have questions?  We have answers to your Frequently Asked Questions!

General Catalog Questions
Catalog Accounts
Citizen Archivist
     About the program
     Transcription
     Tags
     Comments
     Citizen Archivist Missions

General Catalog Questions

What browser should I use to view the Catalog?
For best performance, Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge web browsers are recommended.

How can I get help using the Catalog?
You can click on the HELP link at the top of every page in the Catalog for general information and instructions about using the Catalog.  For more complex questions, you post your question on History Hub, or you can email the Community Managers at catalog@nara.gov 

Can I see the records that were recently added to the Catalog?
Each year we add tens of millions of  digitized records as we approach the goal of 500 million digitized records in Fiscal Year 2026.  As a result, we can’t list them all, but you can view highlights monthly - What’s New in the National Archives Catalog.

Where can I learn about new features added to the Catalog?
You can leave about new features added to the Catalog by subscribing to the National Archives Catalog Newsletter.  This is where we share information about new features, hints, and tips.  We also add new features to our HELP page (linked at the top of every page in the Catalog) which includes instructions on how to use the new feature.

What happens if I encounter an error or find a typo in the Catalog?
Email us and let us know what you’ve found; please be sure to include the URL to the exact page - catalog@nara.govv

How do I cite a record in the Catalog?
If the record is digitized and found in the National Archives Catalog, please cite the record according to the following formula (you will need to look in the National Archives Catalog for some information):
[Title of document], [Date]; [Series of records within the record group]; [Name of Record Group], Record Group [insert number]; [Repository/Location where the original is stored]. [online version available at [url to description in the Catalog]; [Date accessed]].

For example, the citation for our example would be:
Declaration of Intention for Albert Einstein, 10/1/1940; Petitions for Naturalization, 1838 - 1988; Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, Record Group 21; National Archives at New York City, New York, NY [online version available at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/596270; July 2, 2024].

This follows Citing Records in the National Archives of the United States. This publication can also be used to cite records that are not found in the National Archives Catalog.

How can I get more information on how to search the Catalog?
If after reviewing the Catalog Help page you still need more information on how to formulate searches, please visit Search Tips.  This page includes information on keyword searches, search expressions, exact phrase searches, and more.

Catalog Accounts

Do I have to login to the Catalog to search?
No.  You only need to have an account and login if you would like to contribute transcriptions, tags, and comments as a Citizen Archivist.

Why do you use Login.gov for Catalog Accounts?
National Archives Catalog user accounts are managed through the government system, Login.gov.  Login.gov uses two-factor authentication and stronger passwords that meet new National Institute of Standards of Technology requirements for secure validation and verification as part of the Catalog account login process. By using login.gov, you’ll get an extra layer of security to help protect your National Archives Catalog account against password compromises.

I live outside the United States, can I still make an account with login.gov?
Yes! The program is open to anyone in the world.  If you reside outside the United States, you may have to select Back Up codes as your authentication method with login.gov.

Why can’t I login?
If you have successfully completed the login.gov portion of your login, but are still not logged in to your account, you may need to clear your cache.  Also be sure you are using one of the recommended browsers: Safari, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge.

How do I change my username?
Once logged in to the National Archives Catalog, click on the icon next to the welcome message at the top right.  In your Account, click on Settings and Change to make the edit.

Should I log out of my Catalog account when I'm done?
Yes.  Be sure to log out each day. Users need to log in and log out of their Catalog accounts each day so that if our developers make any code changes to the Catalog overnight, your account and Citizen Archivist experience will work properly.

How can I get help with my account?
If you are have difficulty with the login.gov portion of your account, please see  https://login.gov/help/

Citizen Archivist

About the program

What is the benefit of tagging and transcribing National Archives Records?
As we add tags or transcriptions to records - all of those words are added to our Catalog and it helps improve search results. The added benefit is that we’re unlocking the sometimes difficult to read text for all to understand. By adding this metadata to our Catalog, it also becomes searchable in Google or other search engines, which helps to make our records more discoverable online. We like to say that as we tag and transcribe, we are unlocking history.

Do I have to come to your office?
No.  This is a 100% online volunteer program.

I’m not a US Citizen, can I still volunteer?
Yes! The program is open to anyone in the world.  If you reside outside the United States, you may have to select Back Up codes as your authentication method with login.gov.

Is this a paid position?
No.  This is a volunteer, 100% online project.

How can I learn how to contribute?
Visit our Resources page when you can find links to: Get Started Transcribing and What Makes a Good Tag.

Do you make assignments?
We do not make assignments or have deadlines.  You simply sign in to your account in the Catalog and tag, transcribe or make comments on the records.  Do as little or as much as you want.  Everything helps us.

Does the National Archives review my work?
We do not review every transcription, and there is no formal review process.  The National Archives Catalog staff does not provide feedback, mark individual pages as complete, or consider them closed to further editing. We use a collaborative model for contributions and editing, and no transcription is ever considered final.

Transcriptions are used for searchability, so every bit transcribed helps. Anyone who is logged in can transcribe and edit another transcriber's work.  We think it is a bonus when additional eyes review a transcription.  They may add small details, figure out illegible words or complete the transcription, please do not be concerned about these edits to your work - the most important piece is transcribing the words found in the document.  A record may stay in a mission if further transcription and editing is required.

However, we prefer you do not edit another person’s transcriptions for formatting changes only.  The purpose of transcription is to increase word searchability within the Catalog; altering the format will not help searchability.  Instead we encourage you to transcribe a new page and help us unlock history. If you encounter anything that violates our Citizen Contribution Policy please contact us at catalog@nara.gov.

Can my work be applied to volunteer hours for my graduation requirement?
We do not track the number of hours a Citizen Archivist participates and we can not create a report to document volunteer hours. We cannot sign off on your hours or act as a supervisor for a volunteer project. However, registered users can view a list of records they tagged or transcribed in your account page.

This is our policy because every record in the Catalog varies in length and complexity and our system doesn't keep track of the time you are on the site.  There isn’t a formula to calculate pages transcribed to a number of hours.  This is because we have index cards that could take 1 minute to transcribe and 18th Century handwritten records could take an hour or more to transcribe.  If you would like to negotiate your work with your school, we suggest you share the following:
1.  Explain that we can't certify your work in any way.
2.  Your work is tracked in your account.  You could provide a screenshot of this.

3.  You should keep a running list of the url of every page that you transcribe. Copy and paste the url of each page as you transcribe on the transcription contribution page.
4.  You could keep track of your own hours and include the urls of each record you worked on during this time.

Can I host a Citizen Archivist Event?
Yes!  A transcription or tagging event can work really well in a classroom, as a library program, a community volunteer event and more. Please contact the Community Managers at catalog@nara.gov and they can provide you with instructions and handouts for your event.

Transcription

Why do you want us to transcribe a typed record?
The National Archives Catalog contains millions of digitized pages of records. Transcription is an important way for us to improve search results and increase accessibility to our historical records. Since many of the documents at the National Archives are handwritten records such as letters, memos, and reports, many of the words within those documents are not picked up by a search in our Catalog. When available, we  apply OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and Artificial Intelligence to the records, but this extracted text is seldom as accurate as manual transcription, especially when ink bleeds through from the other side of the page, there are stamps and markings, and in many cases a mix of cursive and type written records.  When you transcribe (or type out) exactly what you see in the document, that text becomes searchable in the National Archives Catalog for all users.   When available, we provide Extracted Text.  You can use this text to begin your transcription, but it will need careful review and edits.  See the Extract Text section in Catalog HELP for more information.

How many pages am I obligated to transcribe?
We do not have a number of pages you are required to transcribe.  We ask that you transcribe one page at a time, everything helps.

I have questions about how to transcribe certain records, where is this information?
You’ll find information about how to transcribe tricky records at the bottom of Get Started Transcribing.  Do you have a question that is not listed there?  Email us at catalog@nara.gov and we can help.  Remember, our transcription program is for searchability so the focus should be on transcribing the text rather than mimicking the format of the original record.

Ok, but I really want to know how to transcribe tables.
We have a very simple text field for transcribing which does not include formatting for columns, tables, and graphs.  Here are some tips when transcribing charts and graphs:
- Unless it is a very simple table, do not try replicate the layout
- Use vertical lines | to indicate different columns across the row 
- Add description in brackets [ ] to describe any details that are important for someone to understand about the table
- In some cases transcribing tables and graphs may be nearly impossible.  Sometimes transcribing a chart full of numbers would not be helpful to a researcher. For these, please capture the headings, or column and row headings in the transcription. This work will still help researchers.

Take a look at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/25800239?objectPage=19&objectPanel=transcription for an example of how a Citizen Archivist transcribed a chart.

What do I do when I can't read a page?
Some digitized pages are very low contrast or the original page was damaged and may be difficult to transcribe. You are welcome to skip any page that you are unable to transcribe.

How do I save my work?
The Catalog has an autosave function that will save your work periodically.  When you have finished with the page, please click Publish and Close. Your transcription has been added to our Catalog and shortly all the words you typed will be searched every time someone conducts a search at catalog.archives.gov.  Comments and tags are automatically saved when you click enter.

I transcribed a page, but the Publish and Close button is grayed out. What do I do now?
The Catalog is experiencing an error where, for some users, the Publish and Close button is not working. Our developers are working to fix this error and they have determined that they can restore the transcriptions that are not appearing due to this error. If you experience this error after transcribing, you can move on to another page. The developers are working through the list of these transcriptions and eventually they will be live in the Catalog. In the meantime if you encounter a transcription page that has a username at the top, but it is blank - please skip this page. The transcription will eventually be restored. Even if it is your username, please do not try to re-transcribe the page.

Can I use my phone or tablet to transcribe?
Yes, but many of our volunteers find a computer is the most comfortable screen and keyboard to view the record, transcription panel and type at the same time.

Can I “reserve” a file just for me?
You can not reserve an entire record, but you can reserve a single page as you transcribe. When you click Start Transcribing the page is now reserved for you, and no other Citizen Archivist can transcribe while you are working on the page.  If you have started a transcription and have to walk away, you now have 60 minutes of inactivity before it times out and your page is released for others to contribute to it. Additionally, because of our new autosave feature, you won't lose any work you have done if you've forgotten to click Publish and Close.

Should I transcribe the PDF?
If a PDF is the only version of the record available, please transcribe it.  If the PDF is found after individual pages, we encourage you to transcribe the individual pages and skip transcribing the PDF, as it would be a duplicate transcription.  If you find a record with only a large PDF that you want to transcribe, email us at catalog@nara.gov and we can work to add individual pages to the Catalog description.

What's the difference between transcription and extracted text?

Extracted text is machine generated text, such as optical character recognition (OCR) or artificial intelligence (AI). Extracted text is a tool, if you wish to use it, to help you transcribe a record. A page is not considered transcribed until the text has been copied to the transcription panel, reviewed against the handwritten record, edited, and saved. For an overview on how to use extracted text for transcribing, please see our how-to video.

What should I be editing to fix the Extracted Text?

• Extracted Text transcribes exactly what it sees, but it does make mistakes. Besides correcting those mistakes, we need our volunteers to fix these common issues:
• Hyphenated words - many words are hyphenated so that they can continue on the next line.  Please remove the hyphen.
• Stray marks - delete any stay marks that are stray characters in the Extracted Text.

Misspellings in the original document - You will find misspellings of common words in the pension files. If you are able to identify the word, you should leave the misspelled word in the transcription and add the correct spelling next to it in brackets.

Tags

Why should I add tags?
Tags allow Citizen Archivists  to add keywords to a record to make it more searchable.  Proper names, locations, and subjects make good tags, especially when they’re not already in the title or scope and content note.  For photographs or graphic materials the best tags highlight features and details you can see in the image. You should not add sentences as tags, keep tags short and straight forward. Researchers can search tags in the Advanced Search, so think of tags that a person may easily search.  You can learn more about tags in What Makes a Good Tag and from our special mission Revolutionary War Pension Files Tagging Mission.

What if I make a mistake in a tag I’ve added?
You can delete any tags you’ve contributed.  Your tags appear with an  X  to the right of the tag.  Simply click on the X to remove the tag.  If you encounter a tag written by someone else that violates our Citizen Contribution Policy please contact us at catalog@nara.gov

Comments

When should I add a comment?
Comments are meant to be information from outside sources.  For example, a genealogist might add more information about the individual not found in the record: date or place of birth, relatives names, what the person went on to do.  Citizen Archivists can add links to related records in the Catalog or websites like Wikipedia. The comment field is not the place for words or phrases better suited as tags or to add a transcription.

Can I ask a question in the comment field?
The comment field is a free text box where we invite you to share your knowledge about the records, tell other users about related records, or share what you might expect to find in a particular item, file unit, or series. While we review contributions,  if you would like to receive a response or have a question about the Catalog, please email us at catalog@nara.gov

What if I make a mistake in a comment I’ve added.
You can edit your own comment or delete it if you want to remove it completely.

Citizen Archivist Missions

Do I have to do a Mission? Can I find my own records?
Citizen Archivist Missions are suggestions of records for you to work on.  You can always search our Catalog for records to tag, transcribe and add comments.

What are Featured Records?
Featured Records are single records that need to be transcribed and are sorted by difficulty level.  Records in this list are replaced soon after they are completed and this list allows us to highlight individual records that may not fit into a larger transcription mission.

How can I find a record to transcribe in a Transcription Mission?

From the list of records in a mission, click on the tile of one to get started. When looking at a record, an individual page is displayed and thumbnails of the entire record on the right side.  You will see a transcription status above the large digitized image.  Transcription Available or Transcription Not Started refers to the page displayed and not the transcription status of the record. 

You can click on Show Details to see which pages have transcriptions. In the Grid layout, look for the X which represents no transcription (a check mark indicates that page has transcription). Click on the transcription icon to begin transcribing that particular page. In the List layout, look for Not Started (available indicates that page has transcription). Click on Not Started to begin transcribing that particular page.  

If you are still struggling to find a record with pages to transcribe in a Citizen Archivist mission - skip to the middle or the end of a list of records in a mission, often they have not yet been transcribed or tagged.  Please review Get Started Transcribing for step by step instructions with screenshots.

I transcribed a document yesterday, but it's not showing up in the mission today. What happened to it?
We remove completed records from the missions so that other users don't have to click too far to find a record that they can work on. It is still available in the Catalog, it is just removed from the mission because it is completed. If you want to continue to work on this record, go to your contributions page to find the record again.

A record is fully transcribed, but it hasn’t been removed from the mission.  What’s going on?
Community Managers review and manually remove records from missions.  It could take several days for a record to be removed.  

Have a question that isn't answered here? Contact us at catalog@nara.gov