Researching Your Aboriginal Ancestry at Library and Archives Canada

Part II: Using the Library and Archives Canada Web Site

To Initiate a Search in the Government of Canada Files Database

1. Go to www.collectionscanada.ca/index-e.html.
   
2. Click on ArchiviaNet: Search Archival Materials.
   
3. In the menu in the centre of the screen, click on Government of Canada Files.
   (Note: It is recommended that researchers review the online help pages describing the features available in the Government of Canada Files database before beginning a search. To view these help pages, click on the Online Help button on the right-hand side of the Government of Canada Files box.)
   
4. Click on Search the complete database to obtain the database's keyword search screen.
   
5. Click on Detailed Search to obtain the detailed search screen.
   
6. In the field labelled "Finding Aid Number", type whichever FA number you have identified through the General Inventory database search (e.g., for the Black Series of headquarters registers, you would type "10-13").
   
7. In the field labelled "Record Group Number", type the number "10".
   
8. Click the "Submit query" button.

The list of files that then comes up on the screen offers the volume number, microfilm reel number, file number, file title, keywords and dates for each record. You can use this information to identify the specific record you would like to review. See "Reviewing Records", later in this section.