Introduction

Library Catalog

Title Search

Author Search

Keyword Search

  -- AND, OR, NOT

  -- Phrase Search

Subject Search

Limiting

Truncation

Saving Searches

Printable Checklist

Printable Checklist

Searching the ISU Library Catalog

1. The Library Catalog: The ISU Libarary Catalog is a database made of records for all the print and media items owned by either ISU, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, or St. Mary of the Woods College.

2. Title Search: You can conduct a title search from the Quick Search, Author/Title/Subject/Call# Search, or Keyword Search screens. The Keyword Search screen is the best if you don't know the exact title.

3. Author Search: You can conduct an author search from the Quick Search, Author/Title/Subject/Call# Search, or Keyword Search screen. The Keyword Search screen is best if you have incomplete author information, or if you want to combine the author's name with another search term.

4. Keyword Search: For more efficient and focused keyword searching, always use the Keyword Search Screen.

5. AND, OR, NOT: Narrow or expand the results of your keyword searching by using the boolean operators AND, OR and NOT.

6. Phrase Search: Conduct a phrase search when two or more words must be searched in a specific order (ex: Grand Canyon). You can do this either by placing quotation marks around your phrase, or selecting as a phrase from the drop down menu on the Keyword Search screen.

7. Subject Search: Subject searching helps standardize the words we use to describe a concept. Browse the subject list from the Author/Title/Subject/Call# Search screen to identify the official OCLC subject headings for your concept. You can also find other relevant subject headings by taking note of the headings that appear in the records of items you find useful.

8. Limiting: You can limit searches by date, language. location etc. by clicking on the Set Limits button at the bottom of the screen. Remember to click on the Remove Limits button when you no longer want those limits to be set.

9. Truncation: Truncation allows you to expand a word past its root when you are searching. The truncation symbol for the library catalog is a ?. (ex: america? will search for america, americans, americana, etc.)

10. Saving Searches: The library catalog allows you to save records and view your search history. To save records, mark those that you need and download for printing or save to a disk. The search history button is at the top of the screen and will show you every search from that session.