1. A computer-implemented system according to for providing orientation into digital information; comprising: a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer executable program modules, comprising: an information storage module maintaining a plurality of evergreen indexes on a server for topically-limited subject areas, each of the subject areas comprising electronically-stored digital information and, for each of the evergreen indexes, comprising: a hierarchy of stored topics; and a stored topic model matched to each of the topics in the topic hierarchy, each of the topic models comprising a pattern evaluable against the digital information, wherein the pattern identifies such digital information matching the topic model's topic; a guide generator receiving a user interest in the digital information for the subject area of at least one of the evergreen indexes; a topic model matcher evaluating each of the patterns for the identified topic models against the digital information; a visual display providing access to the digital information organized according to each of the topics in the subject area; a query evaluator receiving a query comprising topic search terms and to match the topic search terms to the topics in the topic hierarchy; and a characteristic word evaluator designating at least one of the chosen topics and the topic search terms as characteristic words, examining all of the evergreen indexes, and identifying those evergreen indexes in the visual display that comprise the characteristic words.