Discovery in Heratio is powered by a dedicated full-text search engine (Elasticsearch) that indexes descriptions, authority records, repositories and terms. Users can move fluidly between browsing a structured hierarchy and running keyword or faceted searches, which matters because researchers approach collections in two very different ways: some know exactly what they want, while others need to explore an unfamiliar fonds.

The unified GLAM browse presents results in card, grid, table and full views, so the same result set can be scanned visually or read in detail.

Browsing the hierarchy

Browsing respects arrangement. Selecting a collection scopes results to that record and everything beneath it - implemented efficiently using a nested-set (MPTT) range rather than only direct children - so a search within a fonds genuinely covers the whole sub-tree.

  • Ancestor/collection filters limit results to a chosen part of the tree
  • Breadcrumbs keep the researcher oriented within the hierarchy
  • Filters for media presence, top-level records and level of description

Faceted search

Faceted refinement lets users narrow a large result set progressively by dimensions such as creator, place, subject, date range, repository and material type. Because access points draw on controlled authority records, facets stay clean instead of fragmenting across spelling variants.

Interoperability and harvesting

Discovery is not limited to the local interface. Heratio can expose metadata for harvesting via OAI-PMH in Dublin Core (and richer formats), so aggregators and portals can index your holdings, widening reach without duplicating data.

In practice. Invest in authority control and consistent indexing terms early. Facets are only as useful as the underlying access points - dirty, uncontrolled terms produce dozens of near-duplicate filter values and quietly destroy the search experience.

Key takeaways

  • Elasticsearch powers fast full-text and faceted search across all entity types
  • Collection-scoped browsing uses nested-set ranges to cover an entire sub-tree
  • OAI-PMH harvesting exposes your metadata to external aggregators and portals

Check your understanding

Last modified: Saturday, 1 August 2026, 11:03 AM