How to Search within Digital Documents

While we aim to have accessible resources, that is not always possible for every circumstance. Most of the documents we send are text readable documents (AKA, you can click and “grab” the text off the page), which makes searching within them simple.


The easiest way to search within a large PDF or Word Document is using the “Find” hotkey.


To use the find tool, find the “CTRL” key (or “COMMAND” on Mac) on your keyboard. Then, find your “F” key. Hold “CTRL” and “F” at the same time, and a pop-up search bar should appear.


This tool is not something that is exclusive to PDFs, you can use this in search browsers and websites, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, as well as on DOC and DOCX documents in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Give it a try!


NOTE: Not every library resource is text readable, if you have low-vision and/or need screen reader accessible resources please let us know.

 

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Where Can I Find Digital Resources?

You can contact us directly at [email protected] for help with legal research and information, as well as checking out some of our pages such as Online Legal Research and Commonly Requested Documents & Resources.

This Resource is Really Confusing, How Do I Get Started Reading?

Legal text is often filled with complex legal jargon that can be intimidating and hard to understand. Please check out our How to Read Digital Legal Text Effectively page for more information.

What if I Don't Know What Terms to Search?

Good starting points for understanding legal situations are Oregon Law Help's Legal Information Library and the Oregon Judicial Department Forms Center. Oregon Law Help is sorted by topic, so reading within the area of law can help you understand key terms related to your legal issue.

How to Use Text-To-Speech Tools and Screen Readers

If you have low-vision and/or need audio resources, most computers and phones have built in text-to-speech capabilities. If your document can be searched with the above tool, then it should also be text-to-speech accessible.

 

Text-to-speech for computers:

 

Microsoft Word Narrator

 

Mac Speak Text Out Loud

 

Text-to-speech for search browsers:

 

Google Chrome Reading Mode

 

Microsoft Edge Immersive Reader

 

Text-to-speech for phones:

 

Have iPhone Read Text on Screen Out Loud

 

Android Text-to-Speech Output

 

Samsung Talk Back

 

There are also some third-party text-to-speech readers, but they vary on their pricing and capabilities.