ATTENTION:
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has withdrawn all cassettes from circulation. NLS plans on removing records for CNIB cassette books.
In the meantime do not request cassette books from CNIB or refer readers to them for
books on cassette.
Search Tips and Examples
What it does:
Basic search allows you to search the catalog in the following ways:
- keyword
- title index browse
- name (author/narrator) index browse
- subject index browse
- book number index browse
- command keyword
How to search
Using the limits feature:
The Limits feature allows you to restrict your search by criteria such as format, collection, language or date of production. The Limit feature will not work with Name Index, Subject Index and Book Number Index searches. You can limit the search in two ways: quick limits and the other kind of limits. You cannot useboth types of limit at the same time. Limits remain in effect for all subsequent searches untilthey are removed..
- Quick Limits:
- This allows you to choose one preset limit from a menu.
- --You can select a quick limit at any time.
- To remove a quick limit in Basic Search it is necessary to select "none"on the menu.
- If you are going to move to the
Guided Search page after using a quick limit it is necessary tobegin a new session.
- Set Limits Page: This allows you to limit the search in more sophisticated ways, but it is not available for everytype of search. The options are: date, language, medium, type, and location. You must fill in thisscreen before filling in the search screen. For more detailed instructions about using the Limits feature, see the Limits page.
Keyword Search
SEARCH LIMITS: are available. (link to a separate page)
BOOLEAN SEARCH: Not available
TRUNCATION: Use ? at the end of a search word for truncation (e.g., canoe will search forcanoe, canoeing, canoer, canoeist, canoes, etc.).
Keyword search finds words and phrases located in any part of the record. N.B. As of December 2008 keyword search will only retrieve records containing ALL of the search terms.
- Retrieved records are displayed in order of relevance.
- Use quotation ma
rks to search exact phrases: "war of the worlds"
- Use the exclamation point to eliminate terms: dogs !guide
For more detailed instructions, see the
Keyword Help page.Command Keyword Search
SEARCH LIMITS: available.
BOOLEAN SEARCH: available.
TRUNCATION: Use ? at the end of a search word for truncation (e.g., canoe will search forcanoe, canoeing, canoer, canoeist, canoes, etc.).
Command keyword finds words or phrases in any part of the catalog record (unless the search is qualified by index codes)
- Separate search words or phrases must be connected by boolean operators: "carroll lewis" and bruno
- Use quotation marks for exact phrases: "guide dogs"
- Use parentheses to group portions of Boolean queries: (england OR france) AND colonies
- Searches can be refined by the use of index codes:KSFG "western stories" (finds we
stern as a subject form/genre term)
- For more detailed instructions, see the Command Keyword Help page
Title Index Search
SEARCH LIMITS: available.
BOOLEAN SEARCH: Not available
TRUNCATION: Searches are automatically truncated and retrieve catalog records that begin with the words or phrases you enter. Entering BANK will automatically bring up bank, banker,banking, bankhead, banks, etc. Do not use the question mark (?) for truncation.
Searches must begin with the first word of the title that is not an article.
- Title does not have to be complete, but words must follow correctly from left to right.
- Enter the only the main part of the title: do NOT include the subtitle
- For more detailed instructions, see the Title Help page
Name (Author/Narrator) Index Search
SEARCH LIMITS: Not available
BOOLEAN SEARCH: Not available
TRUNCATION: Searches are automatically truncate
d and retrieve catalog records that beginwith the words or phrases you enter. Entering BANK will automatically bring up bank, banker,banking, bankhead, banks, etc. Do not use the question mark (?) for truncation
Searches an index of names that includes writer, narrator, editor, and composer.
- For personal names, enter surname first without a comma: shakespeare william
- For group names, enter in direct order: american diabetes association
- The system does not recognize most punctuation, but it is necessary to include the periods fornames that use initials.
- For more detailed instructions, see the Name (Author/Narrator) Help page
Subject Index Search
SEARCH LIMITS: Not available
BOOLEAN SEARCH: Not available
TRUNCATION: Searches are automatically truncated and retrieve catalog records that beginwith the words or phrases you enter. Entering BANK will automatically bring up bank, banker,banking, bankhead, banks, etc. Do not use the question mark
(?) for truncation
Enter subject heading, name, or genre term: mystery fiction
- Start with the left-most word: natural history united states
- Do not include the hyphens traditionally used in Library of Congress subject headings.
- The system does not recognize most punctuation, but it is necessary to include the periods fornames that use initials.
- For more detailed instructions, see the Subject Help page
Book Number Index Search
SEARCH LIMITS: Not available
BOOLEAN SEARCH: Not available
TRUNCATION: Not available
Enter the entire book number, beginning with the letter code: rc 32014
- Include leading zeros: br 00005
- Type the spacing accurately. Codes with 2 letters are followed by a space: rc 32014
- Codes with 3 letters omit the space: rcf04348
- For more detailed instructions, see the Book Number Help page
Help - Search - Search History - Headings - Titles - Text only version of the catalog - Start over
