When considering collections to use as a researcher, online finding aids are a valuable tool for evaluating which material to use. Important qualities of a research instrument include the description of the material, ease of use, and the format of the instrument itself. The Archives of Sir Thomas Wyse, 1816- ca. 1942 at the University of Illinois Rare Book and Manuscript Library is a research tool that has both strengths and weaknesses for a researcher. At first glance, the Sir Thomas Wyse Archives online search tool seems boring and uninvolving. Scrolling through the finding help, there are no breaks in the text or anything visually pleasing. Clicking the menu links on the left simply passes through the blocks of text without displaying another page or additional information. As a casual user, the design of this search tool would be a turn off, and the lack of aesthetic appeal would make me less likely to use this collection, especially since none of it appears to be available online as digital files or similar. For a more serious researcher, however, the lack of visual appeal is not as important as the information contained about the collection and material. It would be more readable with a little variety in font size and type, but a beautiful page is not the primary consideration. The information contained in the scope, content, and biographical notes can be critical to evaluating the content of the collection. These indicate who and what is represented in a collection, the time period from which the material comes, and important contextual information for understanding who and what is represented. Depending on the collection, the length of the notes may not matter. This literary collection includes several writers spanning 125 years and...... half of the document ......vist will work, but a non-productive link is a bit disappointing when you are hoping to mine the archive for the resources. The Thomas Wyse Archives' search for help has some flaws but also many benefits. The navigability of the entire help without having to click back and forth between links is incredibly convenient, even if the site lacks visual appeal. Biographical, scope and content notes could be expanded to improve context for those unfamiliar with the topics. It is hoped that digital content will be added to improve access to the archive remotely. It appears that the University of Illinois is targeting this research aid to researchers who are familiar with the players and collection material and who will not be deterred by the lack of visual appeal. With some modifications, this aid would be usable and attractive to any potential researcher.