1. Enter the search criteria. These can be the map-maker, title, date, source, size, reference, geographical area, price, dealer, year of AMPR record, any text the user chooses, in any combination of "and" or "or", with "wild card" capability. In this example, the search is for the mapmaker, Ortelius, and the map we are seeking is the renowned world map, Typus Orbis Terrarum. Enter these two search strings, as shown below, and Click "Perform Search".

2. The Match List appears. The results show 114 entries for Typus Orbis Terrarum by Ortelius. The user can choose which fields should be displayed, which fields to sort by, whether sizes are shown in inches or centimeters, and which currency to display. Auction records are differentiated from dealer catalogue listings by having an "(a)" symbol after the price. Records which have associated reference images available are indicated by a camera icon () at the left. Full information about any record is available by selecting it and clicking on the "Item Details" tab. In the example shown here, one particular auction result has been selected.

3. Item Details provides all of the information about a particular record. In addition to the data in the Match List, "Item Details" typically includes the source of the item, general comments, color, condition, cartobibliographic references, and the seller and catalogue from which this record came. The user can easily step to the previous or next record. With a click, there are links to facts about the map-maker, the references associated with the item, and more information about the seller. In the example shown here, a reference (Shirley) was selected, and the complete bibliographic citation appears below (along with a link to a review of this work). If you click on the Reference Image link, a high-resolution zoomable view of a copy of this map from a digital map collection (in this case from the Library of Congress' American Memory collection) will be brought up in a browser window on your screen.