Help:Linking to Access to Archives (A2A)

Search results on Access to Archives (A2A) time out after a set period of time, so it cannot be linked to by copying and pasting the URL in the address bar of a web-browser. However, it is possible to link from WYAS Wiki to catalogues on A2A by using the following instructions.

  • To link to A2A you will need to know the ARCHON number of the appropriate Archive Service office and the collection reference code as it appears on A2A.
  • When you have found a catalogue on A2A that you would like to link to make a note of the reference code that appears towards the top of the catalogue page. For example, a search for "George Hattersley and Sons Ltd" will find the papers of this Keighley business held at WYAS Bradford, with the catalogue reference "32D83".
  • Just above this on the search results page you will see a link to the Archive Service office's entry in the ARCHON directory. Clicking on this link will open up ARCHON in a new window. The ARCHON code can be found immediately below the name of the Archive Service office. For WYAS Bradford this is 202.
  • The ARCHON numbers for the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices are as follows:
    • WYAS Bradford 202
    • WYAS Calderdale 203
    • WYAS Kirklees 204
    • WYAS Leeds 205
    • WYAS Wakefield 201
    • The ARCHON code for Keighley Library is 538, and for the Yorkshire Archaeological Society 207.
  • To link to A2A first enter the first part of the URL as follows:
[http://www.a2a.org.uk/html/ ]
  • Next type the ARCHON code. (Single digit codes should be preceded by two zeros, and two digit codes by one zero.) So, for WYAS Bradford use 202:
[http://www.a2a.org.uk/html/202 ]
  • Then add a hypen:
[http://www.a2a.org.uk/html/202- ]
  • Finally add the reference code as it appears on A2A, with any spaces and punctuation removed. So for the George Hattersley collection use 32D83(this is not case sensitve):
[http://www.a2a.org.uk/html/202-32D83 ]
  • Finally add the extension .htm - you have now created a link to A2A. You can add the catalogue title as you would for any other link from WYAS Wiki:
[http://www.a2a.org.uk/html/202-32D83.htm George Hattersley and Sons Ltd]