Catalog Help

Keyword searching lets you search for words in any part of the record. It can be a powerful finding tool when you know characteristics of the information you are looking for, but not the exact author, title, or subject.

For instance:

• You are looking for a topic, but don't know the exact subject heading

• You are looking for a specific work and know the topic but not the exact title

• You are looking for a specific work and know the author's last name and what it is about

• You know the last names of two or more authors or editors of a work

Sample Keyword Searches

The advanced search page lets you do more focused searches. You can search on several fields at once. You can also limit searches by format, language, location, year of publication, and by how recently an item was added to the catalog (last 7, 30 or 90 days).

Command Search (also known as Common Command Language or CCL) is the most powerful search. It lets you search several different fields at once, including coded data not searchable any other way. You must specify a command code in addition to your search words. Some of the most common command codes:

• WRD - words anywhere

• WTI - words in title field

• WAU - words in author field

• WNO - words in note field including contents notes and dissertation note

• WPU - words in publisher field

• WSU - words in subject field

• WYR - year of publication

For example: ‘WNO=Notre Dame’ will search for Notre Dame in the notes field of the bibliographic record. This would include: reproduction notes, content notes, dissertation notes and others.

Sample Command Searches

All Command Searches

WRD - Almost all fields

The tabs across the top of the catalog screen represent subsets of the catalog. Subsets have full search functionality, restricted to a part of the catalog:

• Full catalog - search the entire ND Libraries Catalog

• Periodicals - search for journals, magazines, serials and newspapers

• E-Resources - search for resources accessed online, at selected library workstations, or as physical digital media, including journals, books, databases, and government documents

• Reserves - search for items on both print and e-reserves

• More - search for Bible, Catholic Church, Data sets, Music and Sound recordings and more

Modify/Limit lets you refine your search results by adding additional search terms or limiting by format, language, location, year of publication and newly added materials (within 7, 30 or 90 days).

To use the Modify/Limit function, do a search, click the "Modify/Limit" link above the search results, then modify or limit your search in the form that opens.

Crossing lets you compare two searches to find records that are in one set but not the other, or that are in both sets. (Also see Boolean searching in “Tips for constructing searches”)

To cross sets, click the "Previous searches" link at the top. In the list of searches select two search sets from the same database, the appropriate operator, then click "Go." To view the results, select the new search set and click "View."

Example: "new york" OR "civil war"

The * character (asterisk) acts as a wildcard and can be placed at the left, right or middle of a portion of a word.

Example: africa* fiction (finds "Africa," "African," etc. and "fiction")

Example: colo*r (finds "color" or "colour")

Example: wom*n (finds "woman" or "women" or “womyn”)

Boolean searches let you broaden or narrow searches. You can do Boolean searching on the basic, advanced, and Command search pages. The three Boolean search operations the catalog supports: