1. A method of providing an electronic filing system which is searchable using a handwritten search query, the method including the steps of: obtaining the handwritten search query using interaction of an input device; obtaining a text search query including a text search term; performing a search of at least one database for instances of the text search term; performing a search of the at least one database for handwritten annotations that are a given physical distance from each of at least one of the instances of the text search term; comparing the handwritten search query and the handwritten annotations in order to determine matches between the handwritten search query and the handwritten annotations; and, providing results of the comparing step to a user and facilitating access to at least one page upon which the handwritten annotations appear.