Search Help

Keyword Searching

Type the keyword you want to find. For example:

Search Tips

Wildcards Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters. The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string. You may use '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word.

Examples : environment* polic*, wom?n

Boolean Operators Use "and" or "or" to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use "and not" to exclude words.

Example : stocks and bonds

Example : (alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)

Field limits A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).

Grouping Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

 

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Advanced Keyword Search Tips

Multiple Words

When searching multiple words the system will automatically supply the Boolean "and" operator between each word; multiple words entered for the search will all occur somewhere in the retrieved records though not necessarily in the order entered. Both examples on the right will retrieve the same results.

 

Phrase Searches

Search for complete phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes will appear together in all results exactly as typed.

 

Examples

A phrase Search:
"university science department"

Wildcards

*   Matches any number of non-space characters, starting at the specified position in the word. For example, "comput*" will match all words that begin with "comput" (e.g., "computer", "computation", etc.).
The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string.

?   You may use a question mark ('?') to replace a single character anywhere within a word.

 

Examples

* Wildcard:
environment* polic*
comp*

? Wildcard:
wom?n

Boolean Operators

Use AND or OR to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use AND NOT to exclude words. Select the operator you wish to use from the selection list on the Advanced Search form.

 

Examples

Using Boolean operators:
stocks and bonds
stocks or bonds
stocks and not bonds

Field Limits

Field limits may be specified by selecting a field limit from the selection list. These limits appear before the word or phrase to be searched. A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).

Field Limits and their meanings:

Grouping

Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

Most relevant Most relevant titles 

Highly relevant Highly relevant titles 

Very relevant Very relevant titles 

Relevant Relevant titles 

Other relevant Other relevant titles 

 

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Saving your searches

If you have a favorite author or subject for which you often search when using the catalog, you can save the search with the click of a button.

How to:

  1. Log in to your account.
  2. Click Classic Catalog to start a new search.
  3. Search for your favorite author, subject, title, etc. or create an advanced keyword search including limits to material type, language, publication year, etc.
  4. When your results are displayed, click the button marked Save as My Preferred Search.
  5. The next time that you log in to your account, you can click the Preferred Searches link to see a list of your saved searches.
  6. Click the Search link on the line with your preferred search terms to execute that search.
  7. You can be alerted to new materials added to the library collection that match your Preferred Searches. Check the "Mark for Email" box and cick Update List. Be sure that your patron record information includes your current email address.

 

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