HED Finding Books

Finding Books & Finding Books & Other Materials: Other Materials: Library CatalogsLibrary CatalogsHow to effectively search library catalog How to effectively search library catalog

systems for individual libraries and systems for individual libraries and library networks.library networks.

p.2Univ. of Toledo Libraries (http://library.utoledo.edu)

Books: Notes on the FormatBooks: Notes on the Format• Books are often the culmination of scholarly Books are often the culmination of scholarly

work, giving the broadest overview of a topic work, giving the broadest overview of a topic and exploring many applications.and exploring many applications.

• Books may also bring together multiple Books may also bring together multiple authors each writing a chapter on a related authors each writing a chapter on a related theme.theme.

• Effectively using books involves browsing the Effectively using books involves browsing the shelves, scanning tables of contents, and shelves, scanning tables of contents, and using the books’ indexes to narrow your using the books’ indexes to narrow your search.search.


The Catalog: UTMOST and The Catalog: UTMOST and othersothers

• Each library has a catalog of books and other Each library has a catalog of books and other materials in their collections.materials in their collections.

• University of Toledo’s catalog (sometimes called University of Toledo’s catalog (sometimes called UTMOST) is at http://utmost.cl.utoledo.eduUTMOST) is at http://utmost.cl.utoledo.edu

• Additional help on UTMOST can be found in this Additional help on UTMOST can be found in this Guide or this Tutorial.Guide or this Tutorial.

• Other catalogs you may be interested in includeOther catalogs you may be interested in include• Owens College (ExpressLink): Owens College (ExpressLink):

http://library.owens.edu/searchhttp://library.owens.edu/search• Wayne County Community College: Wayne County Community College:

http://http://wcccd.dalnet.lib.mi.uswcccd.dalnet.lib.mi.us/#focus/#focus• Monroe County Community College (CAROL): Monroe County Community College (CAROL):

http://library.monroeccc.edu/rooms/http://library.monroeccc.edu/rooms/

http://wcccd.dalnet.lib.mi.us/#focus




The Catalog: Finding The Catalog: Finding Known ItemsKnown Items

Sometimes you know exactly what you’re Sometimes you know exactly what you’re after… maybe you’re trying to locate items in after… maybe you’re trying to locate items in a Works Cited page, or want to see everything a Works Cited page, or want to see everything written by a particular researcher.written by a particular researcher.• Books can be searched by Title, or by the Books can be searched by Title, or by the

Author (last name first)Author (last name first)• Articles should be looked up by the Title of Articles should be looked up by the Title of

the journal or magazine, not the title of the the journal or magazine, not the title of the article or the author’s name.article or the author’s name.


The Catalog: Finding by The Catalog: Finding by TopicTopic

Subject SearchesSubject Searches• Use librarian-defined Use librarian-defined

termsterms• More precise searchesMore precise searches• Usually only a few Usually only a few

subject headings subject headings assigned per itemassigned per item

• Useful for straight-Useful for straight-forward topicsforward topics

Keyword SearchesKeyword Searches• Use author-defined Use author-defined

termsterms• Broader retrievalBroader retrieval• Can find words in Can find words in

title, author, notes, title, author, notes, subject headings, & subject headings, & contentscontents

• Useful for complex Useful for complex topicstopics

When you are searching for items on a When you are searching for items on a particular topic, use Subject or Keyword particular topic, use Subject or Keyword Searches.Searches.


The Catalog: Subject The Catalog: Subject SearchingSearching

• The librarian-defined Subject Heading may be oddly The librarian-defined Subject Heading may be oddly phrased, or in an odd order. For example, the term phrased, or in an odd order. For example, the term “Education, Higher” is used instead of “Higher “Education, Higher” is used instead of “Higher Education”Education”

• Some catalogs will help guide you to the right term, or Some catalogs will help guide you to the right term, or suggest other terms to use.suggest other terms to use.


Subject Searching (cont.)Subject Searching (cont.)Subheadings after the main subject heading showSubheadings after the main subject heading show• Specific sub-topics (Administration)Specific sub-topics (Administration)• Specific formats (Periodicals, Handbooks Manuals, Specific formats (Periodicals, Handbooks Manuals,

etc.)etc.)• Specific treatments (Case Studies, Mathematical Specific treatments (Case Studies, Mathematical

Models)Models)• Specific geographic areas (Africa)Specific geographic areas (Africa)


The Catalog: Keyword The Catalog: Keyword SearchingSearchingKeyword searching finds the word(s) in the subject Keyword searching finds the word(s) in the subject

heading, but also in the title, author, notes, and heading, but also in the title, author, notes, and sometimes tables of contents.sometimes tables of contents.

Keyword searching can use wildcards or truncation Keyword searching can use wildcards or truncation symbols (such as an ‘*’) to find alternative endings: symbols (such as an ‘*’) to find alternative endings: educat* finds education, educator, educated, etc.educat* finds education, educator, educated, etc.

Keyword searching is essential for combining two Keyword searching is essential for combining two topic concepts togethertopic concepts together

• Use AND to require both concepts to be present: Use AND to require both concepts to be present: freshmen AND tutor* AND retentionfreshmen AND tutor* AND retention

• Use OR to allow either concept or to account for Use OR to allow either concept or to account for synonyms, etc.:synonyms, etc.:First Year Experience OR Freshman Year First Year Experience OR Freshman Year Experience.Experience.


The Catalog: Limiting your The Catalog: Limiting your ResultsResults

To be more specific about the location, format, To be more specific about the location, format, or publication details of the items you want, or publication details of the items you want, use theuse the or buttons to limit your or buttons to limit your search. Limit options are shown here:search. Limit options are shown here:


The Catalog: Locating your The Catalog: Locating your ItemItem

Clicking on any entry in the results will bring up Clicking on any entry in the results will bring up the record for the individual item. Look for the record for the individual item. Look for this box to see where the item is and if its this box to see where the item is and if its available to be checked out:available to be checked out:

The location shows which library and floor to go to.

Write down the call number to find your book. Click on the link to browse other books nearby on the shelf, which will have similar topics.

AVAILABLE means you can check it out. A DUE date means it’s been checked out already.


The Catalog: OhioLINK The Catalog: OhioLINK CatalogCatalog

To find more books, you can search a consortial To find more books, you can search a consortial catalog, such as the OhioLINK Library Catalog catalog, such as the OhioLINK Library Catalog for Ohio college & university libraries.for Ohio college & university libraries.

To quickly search the entire OhioLINK Catalog, To quickly search the entire OhioLINK Catalog, click the button from any UTMOST click the button from any UTMOST screen.screen.

Even better, you can have books sent at no Even better, you can have books sent at no charge from other OhioLINK libraries and picked charge from other OhioLINK libraries and picked up at UT, Owens, or any other OhioLINK library…up at UT, Owens, or any other OhioLINK library…


OhioLINK Catalog (cont.)OhioLINK Catalog (cont.)To request a book in the OhioLINK Library Catalog, To request a book in the OhioLINK Library Catalog,

click on REQUEST THIS ITEM from any record.click on REQUEST THIS ITEM from any record.If the book is available to be checked out you just If the book is available to be checked out you just

choose your institution (U Toledo), then enter choose your institution (U Toledo), then enter your Name, Student ID, and where you’d like to your Name, Student ID, and where you’d like to pick up the book.pick up the book.

Books arrive in 3-5 days, can be checked out for 3 Books arrive in 3-5 days, can be checked out for 3 weeks, and renewed if no one else needs the weeks, and renewed if no one else needs the item.item.

More information on OhioLINK requesting is More information on OhioLINK requesting is available here.available here.

Enter your e-mail address in your Library Record to Enter your e-mail address in your Library Record to receive notifications by e-mail when your item is receive notifications by e-mail when your item is ready to be picked up.ready to be picked up.