View Relationships

The IndexCat database is organized in a hierarchical arrangement. Each record is defined with a relationship to another. Depending upon where you view the record, it is higher than some records (parent), lower than others (child) or at the same level (current). From the Record Display, you can view these hierarchical arrangements by using the View Relationships icon.

IndexCat labels used to indicate these relationships are:

• Parent(s) of Current Record
• Current Record
• Children of Current Record

Items at the lowest level in relationship hierarchies are usually:

1. Records related to Index Catalogue subject headings and

2. Records related to major authors in the primary arrangement for a series interfiling authors titles and subject in a single alphabetic list.

• For example, monographic titles listed under an author such as:
Hunter, John 1728-93.
• Observations on certain parts of the animal oeconomy. 1837.
• The natural history of the human teeth; explaining their structure, use, formation, growth, and diseases. 1773.
• A treatise on the blood, inflammation, and gun-shot wounds. 1812
• A treatise on the veneral disease. 1786.

Example: IndexCat steps:

1. Perform a Quick Search on 'quackery' in Series 3

2. Results List shows a subject heading 'Quacks and quackery (History of)'

3. Click on this heading to display record

4. Only the heading displays without any other associated information

5. Click on the View Relationship icon

6. IndexCat displays the full relationship of this subject heading to all records indexed under this term - the children of 'Quacks and quackery (History of)'

Subject Relationships display sort:

Records under subject headings are sorted in printed Index Catalogue order:

• Monographs and dissertations in an alphabetic group at the top
• Analytics (journal, newspaper articles, and letters) in a second alphabetical group.

Navigating between Relationships

When you look at relationships, you can move from record to record, remain on the same page, or display a specific item in Record Display.

The > (greater than) or < (less than) icon permits you to move up or down the hierarchy. The < (less than) icon indicates Up; the > (greater than) icon indicates Down.

• After performing a search open a record from the Results List
• If Author, Title, and Date show in the 'Children of Current Record' list, this is a complete IndexCat record at the bottom level. There are no other records below it.
• Clicking on the > (greater than) icon will not provide any extra information in these cases.
• Subject headings and some names may display only the name, heading or a reference. They have links to associated records.
• After you open a record from the Results List, it may repeat the heading and give you a little more information.
• Click the View Relationships icon to see the related records
• Click the > (greater than) or < (less than) icons to view full hierarchy relationships, if necessary.
• Sometimes, it is better to start a new search rather than continuing to browse using relationships. Some reference links work at lower levels only.
Search IndexCat · Help Contents