Basic Search

The library's online public access catalog (OPAC) opens to a basic search screen.  Enter keywords to begin a search.  Using Boolean operators (AND, BUT, OR) can also help you link terms together.  If you want to search a phrase, you can put the terms in quotations.

For example, if you are searching the following phrase:

gas station

Use: "gas station" so that your search will retrieve results where those words are found side by side in the order you entered them.

Using some of these strategies can help you narrow the number of hits you receive so that you don’t have to waste time wading through resources that aren’t relevant to your particular search.  For more information on how to use Boolean operators or keywords, click here.

Basic searches allow for some limiting features.  You can choose to search in a particular field – such as title, author, subject and others.

Advanced Search

For more search options, click on the “Advanced Search” tab.   You can limit your search to current material only, to certain types of formats like books, to music, to a particular language, to maps and other formats.  Using quotations allows you to search for exact phrases.  Advanced search tools are especially helpful in limiting some of your results so that you don’t have to wade through lots of irrelevant, out of date information. 

For more help tips, click on the help tab within the catalog – it will give you more ideas for how to manipulate your search to produce the best possible results.

Subject Search

This search screen allows you to search by subject (which is also possible in the advanced screen, shown above).  When searching by subject, it best to you use library defined headings.  When you enter a subject search, the catalog will list phrases that have been used and how many hits you would get. 

For example, if you search the following phrase:

united states civil war

The catalog will list other headings that might also be useful to you, such as:

American Civil War - United States - Encyclopedias - English (1)

Military Medicine - Civil War - United States - history (1)

You can follow the links in the catalog to the suggested headings.  This is an excellent way to narrow your topic and to discover the phrases that will retrieve the best results.

Author Search

This search allows you to specifically search for an author (this option is also available in the advanced search).  Enter as much information as you know.  For example, if you only know the last name or the last name and the first initial, then enter that.

The catalog will pull any records that match yours, which will allow you to choose the best option.  For example, if you search Walt Whitman in the author search, the catalog retrieves any results that closely match yours:

Whitman, Walt 1819 - 1892 (21)

Whitman, William Tate, 1909 - (1)

It's clear that the first entry is the one that best matches your search.  That link in the catalog will take you to the 21 sources authored by Walt Whitman (1819-1892). 

Course Reserve Search

Course reserves are books, articles, videos, etc. chosen by professors for class use and placed on limited circulation. The course reserve search allows you to search for any materials your instructor has placed on course reserve for you.  You can search for the materials using the instructor's name, the department, the course and the section.  For example, if you are taking Kyle Potter's class, Hon 170 section A, you could find materials for his class in the following ways:

1. Use the pull down bar next to the "instructor" search box and select Kyle Potter's name.

2. Choose the pull down bar next to the "department" search box and select "Honors".  Then, find the materials in that department submitted by your teacher and course.

3.  Choose the pull down bar next to the course search box and select HON 170.  This will take you directly to the materials listed for this particular course.

4.  Using the section number allows you to further identify which class and section materials you are looking for (in this case, the class section is A).

When you wish to check out a reserve item you'll need to provide the name of your professor, course number, and author and/or title of the item to a staff member at the Circulation Desk. Reserve items must remain in the library and generally are due back in two hours.  Fines for overdue reserves are $.25/hr.