Finding technical reports through the Library Catalog

1) Go to the Library Catalog (linked from the Research Library's home page and elsewhere on the Library website)

2) Search for a report by any of the indexes available on the screen, using a browse or word search.

• To find reports by technical report number,
  
  1) On the Search/Browse screen, select the search type "Report number browse", then enter the report number, including punctuation. The results will display the report numbers closest to what you requested, with the number you entered appearing second if there's an exact match.
  
  
  If you want to find reports of a certain type of report number combined with another term, you can use an Advanced Search such as:
  Report number= LA  AND  Title= semiconductor
  Report number= SAND  AND  Title= semiconductor
  
  
• To find reports on a topic, try a word search in Title, or in fields Title/Subject/Abstract.  
  (In Advanced Search you can also select Limit, Format, Technical Report.)
  
  Note: only a few report records have subject terms. Most recently added report records include abstracts, so using Title/Subject/Abstract may improve your sesarch.

3) Access the report: When an electronic copy is available, you will see a clickable URL included in the bottom of the listing. Most reports on in PDF format. The PDF file size and any access restrictions are indicated.

If you do not find the report you want in the catalog please check with Library staff to determine availability. They can find many reports through means other than the catalog. (email, 7-4446, 5-2948[Fax] or MS P364).

System requirements

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read files in PDF (Portable Document Format).

Common problems using electronic documents

• Cannot read/launch electronic document file
  The Research Library makes its materials available in PDF. If you cannot open a PDF file, possible causes are:
  • Your Web browser (e.g., Netscape) may not have been configured to launch the Acrobat Reader software needed to view PDF files
  • You have not installed the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software onto your workstation.

• Electronic document file takes a long time to "open"
  
  • If your network connection is "slow", large files, which these electronic documents typically are, will take a long time to download and open
  • If your workstation has insufficient memory it will have difficulty simultaneously having your Web browser (e.g., Netscape), your reader (i.e., Adobe Acrobat), and the file itself open
  • Workstation out of memory.

• Electronic document appears to be incomplete or corrupted
  Electronic document files may come across to you as incomplete or corrupted after they have been downloaded. Several common causes are:
  • Your workstation may lack sufficient memory to handle large files (some documents are large)
  • The file server may have timed out while downloading a large file over a slow modem connection.

• Difficulty printing an electronic document
  Many users will find that printing electronic documents is relatively slow. Here are several suggestions:
  • Whenever feasible print only those pages of the document you actually need instead of automatically printing the entire document
  • If you plan to print a lot of pages, begin your print job at a time when you or those who may share a printer with you will not need it (e.g., at lunch, overnight)
  • Some documents consist of several hundred pages. Your workstation and printer must be capable of spooling very large files.

Library policy on technical support

The Los Alamos National Laboratory Research Library is unable to provide technical assistance in resolving customer problems using its electronic documents or other applications, except when it appears that the problem results from a failure of the Research Library's own systems. We offer the information above information in the interest of offering some general guidance, but given the variety of systems, software, and network arrangements, each customer of the Library's products and services should seek advice and help from his or her designated network support person.

Questions?  Contact the Library by phone (505) 667-5809 or by email.