Basic Search Guide

Please note that OCC Libraries' four search screens are customized. The help screens, of which this is one, are also customized. Therefore, for search screen help, you should look to these customized help screens. For help with other screens--search results, your account, etc.--please select the Help button on the upper right of the particular screen.

Use your browser's back button to return to the search screen to preserve any search you have already done.

BASIC SEARCH lets you pick from five different types of searches. The default search is an "anywhere keyword" search (same as Quick Search), which examines all information on all records in the library catalog. The other searches available in the dropdown menu are keyword searches for three specific fields--subject, author, and title--and an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) exact match. Choose the one that best suits the information you bring to the search. If you have specific information about a title--for example you know two or three keywords in it--select "title keyword" from the drop-down window.

**The table below provides tips on the searches and gives some examples.**
FIELD	TIPS	EXAMPLES [EXPLANATIONS]
ANYWHERE keyword	Same as Quick Search: It examines all the information on all the records in the library catalog. It's "quick" in that you don't have to take time to carefully craft your search. It produces many hits, but it's more time-consuming in that it forces you to take time reviewing the results to find something useful.	global warming [books with both global and warming somewhere on their catalog records]
SUBJECT keyword	SUBJECT starts with requires the correct words from the beginning. With SUBJECT keyword any of the words will do.	colonial period [books about American colonial period without specifying exact dates or a particular area]
TITLE keyword	Use if you know some words in the title but not necessarily the first ones.	universe nutshell [book called tour the universe in a nutshell]
AUTHOR keyword	Searching for either smith or john could produce more records than you want to explore. First name xavier is more workable.	weisskopf [several books by authors whose last name is weisskopf] mohammed [many books by authors whose first name or last name is mohammed]
SUBJECTS starts with	For best results, consult Library of Congress Subject Headings (explained) for search terms (ask a librarian for help). Also, medical (MeSH) and juvenile subjects are included in this search.	massachusetts--history [books on all aspects of Massachusetts history]
TITLE starts with	If title starts with an article--a, an, or the--omit that and start with next word. Do not have to enter the entire title.	sound and the fury [initial "the" omitted]] for whom the bell t [only first letter of last word tolls] postman always rings [last word twice omitted]
AUTHOR (last, first)	Enter last name, then comma, then first name. May enter only the last name, or just part of the last name.	dickinson, emily [full name, last name first] hawking, s [only first letter of first name stephen] steinbe [last two letters ck of last name omitted]
LC CALL NUMBER starts with	The Library of Congress provides a outline of its call number system.	n 6915 [beginning of section on history of Italian art]
ISBN exact match	Must include all characters of the International Standard Book Number.	0679454926 [book called American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence]
ISSN exact match	Must include all characters of the International Standard Serial Number.	0040-781X [Time magazine]

The table below provides tips on the searches and gives some examples.

FIELD

TIPS

EXAMPLES [EXPLANATIONS]

ANYWHERE keyword

Same as Quick Search: It examines all the information on all the records in the library catalog. It's "quick" in that you don't have to take time to carefully craft your search. It produces many hits, but it's more time-consuming in that it forces you to take time reviewing the results to find something useful.

global warming [books with both global and warming somewhere on their catalog records]

SUBJECT keyword

SUBJECT starts with requires the correct words from the beginning. With SUBJECT keyword any of the words will do.

colonial period [books about American colonial period without specifying exact dates or a particular area]

TITLE keyword

Use if you know some words in the title but not necessarily the first ones.

universe nutshell [book called tour the universe in a nutshell]

AUTHOR keyword

Searching for either smith or john could produce more records than you want to explore. First name xavier is more workable.

weisskopf [several books by authors whose last name is weisskopf]
mohammed [many books by authors whose first name or last name is mohammed]

SUBJECTS starts with

For best results, consult Library of Congress Subject Headings (explained) for search terms (ask a librarian for help). Also, medical (MeSH) and juvenile subjects are included in this search.

massachusetts--history [books on all aspects of Massachusetts history]

TITLE starts with

If title starts with an article--a, an, or the--omit that and start with next word. Do not have to enter the entire title.

sound and the fury [initial "the" omitted]]
for whom the bell t [only first letter of last word tolls]
postman always rings [last word twice omitted]

AUTHOR (last, first)

Enter last name, then comma, then first name. May enter only the last name, or just part of the last name.

dickinson, emily [full name, last name first]
hawking, s [only first letter of first name stephen]
steinbe [last two letters ck of last name omitted]

LC CALL NUMBER
starts with

The Library of Congress provides a outline of its call number system.

n 6915 [beginning of section on history of Italian art]

ISBN exact match

Must include all characters of the International Standard Book Number.

0679454926 [book called American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence]

ISSN exact match

Must include all characters of the International Standard Serial Number.

0040-781X [Time magazine]

The library catalog returns a list of results based on the search criteria you enter. For more information on how to understand your search results, see interpreting your search results.

Search Guide: Introduction | Basic Search | Advanced Search | Power Search | Multi-Libraries Search