Quick Catalogue Search Tips
The Basics
| To search for | Select Search type | Method |
|---|---|---|
| A book by title | (first words) |
Enter exact title Don’t use A, An, The at the beginning of the title. |
| A video by title |
Title (first words) and set quick limit at videorecording |
Enter exact title
Don’t use A, An, The |
| Works by an author or film director |
Author (last name first) |
Enter last name first |
| Library material by topic | Keywords (boolean) | Use AND to combine keywords – gives narrower results Use OR to find similar or related keywords – gives broader results |
Refining Searches
| Use | Select Search Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Quotation marks “ ” to search for a phrase eg: “young children” | Keywords (boolean) | Records containing the term young children as a phrase |
| AND to combine keywords eg: “young children” AND television |
Keywords (boolean) |
Records containing the terms: young children AND television |
| OR to find synonymous
(ie: similar) keywords eg: television OR “mass media” |
Keywords (boolean) | Records containing the terms:
|
Limiting Searches
| Limiting by | Select Search Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Date eg: 1996 | Keyword (boolean) | Records of items published after 1996 |
| Location eg: Curriculum | Keyword (boolean) | Records of items located in the Curriculum Resources Collection |
| Item type eg: Posters, Charts | Keyword (boolean) | Records of items that are posters or charts in the Curriculum Resources Collection |
| Language eg: Chinese | Keyword (boolean) | Records of items written or spoken in Chinese |
* Don’t forget to “Clear Limits” after search is completed