Documentation
Research Library
How to browse the public archive, use taxonomy pages, and move through related research without flattening places into one summary.
Documentation Summary
Research Library at a glance
Updated
March 23, 2026
Main surfaces
Archive, taxonomy pages, single articles, recent coverage, related reading cards, and hero maps.
Best browse tools
Use the archive view switcher, taxonomy chips, and the sidebar research nav to move quickly.
Maps
Archive and taxonomy pages show aggregated place maps; single articles show place-specific hero maps.
Follow-through
Use related reading and taxonomy links to compare places instead of treating each article as isolated.
1. Use the archive as the main browse layer
The archive is the fastest way to see what the public library currently covers. It supports a denser card view, a row view, and a live archive hero map so you can move between browsing titles and reading geography.
2. Use taxonomies to compare like with like
- Browse by State when you want a geographic entry point.
- Browse by Theme when you want recurring research questions across places.
- Browse by Type when you want similar kinds of places side by side.
- Browse by Status when you want places grouped by current condition.
3. Use article pages as place records, not just posts
Each article is designed to carry more than a short narrative. Depending on the record, it can include a dek, quick take, why-it-matters framing, map context, key facts, recent coverage, related reading, source trails, and linked place points.
The point is to keep context, place, and source material together instead of splitting them across separate surfaces.