Locating Information Resources through the Library Online Catalog

August 2008

Prepared by:

Yesenia Hernández Santiago

Librarian Assistant II

Revised and Translated by:

Prof. Noraida Domínguez Flores

Librarian II

Information Literacy and Technologies Program

University of Puerto Rico at Carolina

Objectives:

At the end of the presentation, the students are going to be able to: Understand what is the library online

catalog. Access and use the library online catalog. Conduct simple searches through the

library online catalog. Conduct advanced searches through the

library online catalog.

What is the library online catalog?

The library online catalog is a system that allows the location of the information resources available at the library. You can access the online catalog from any computer with access to the Internet.

The following steps are going to guide you to effectively use the

online catalog and locate information resources at your

library

Access the library Web portal http://biblioteca.uprc.edu.

Select the option Búsqueda de libros, this will allow access to the library online catalog.

Click on this optionClick on this option

A new window will open that presents different buttons to each UPR campus.

Select Carolina.Select Carolina.

The Search screen will open

To conduct a Simple search you can click on Home.

To conduct a Simple search you can click on Home.

Click on the arrow to see and select one search option.

Click on the arrow to see and select one search option.

Select one of the options:

1. General Keyword: Select this option if you are going to use keywords to conduct your search.

2. Author Keyword: Select this option to search by the author’s name.

3. Subject Keyword: Select this option if you need to locate a resource by a specific topic.

4. Title Keyword: Select this option if you know the title of an information resource. The screen will present all the resources with the same title.

1. General Keyword: Select this option if you are going to use keywords to conduct your search.

2. Author Keyword: Select this option to search by the author’s name.

3. Subject Keyword: Select this option if you need to locate a resource by a specific topic.

4. Title Keyword: Select this option if you know the title of an information resource. The screen will present all the resources with the same title.

An example of a simple search:

Write the keyword that identifies your topic.

Write the keyword that identifies your topic.

Click on the arrow.Click on the arrow.

General Keyword search was conducted using the word Egipt.

General Keyword search was conducted using the word Egipt.

Search results for Egipt, 56. Search results for Egipt, 56.

You can limit your results by selecting a specific Library Collection.

You can limit your results by selecting a specific Library Collection.

As an example, if you want to locate a movie, you can

choose the Audiovisual collection

(Colección audiovisual).

As an example, if you want to locate a movie, you can

choose the Audiovisual collection

(Colección audiovisual).

Click on the arrow.

Click on the arrow.

The search was limited to 10 records for Egipt.

The search was limited to 10 records for Egipt.

This is an information resource

that matched the search.

This is an information resource

that matched the search.

Information resource

title.

Information resource

title.

Location – Indicates in what UPR

campus the resource is

located.

Location – Indicates in what UPR

campus the resource is

located.

Collection – Indicates

in what library

collection is located.

Collection – Indicates

in what library

collection is located.

Call Number – the number that is used to

locate the book on the book shelve.

Call Number – the number that is used to

locate the book on the book shelve.

Status – Indicates if

the resource is available or not.

Status – Indicates if

the resource is available or not.

Item Type – Indicates the type of resource.

Item Type – Indicates the type of resource.

You can limit your search by combining different words or selecting other searching options.

Select Searches to conduct advanced searches.

Select Searches to conduct advanced searches.

All Searches here you can find other search options.

All Searches here you can find other search options.

All Title Browse – To search by title. Example: Like water to chocolate.

All Title Browse – To search by title. Example: Like water to chocolate.

Author Browse– To search by author. You have to write the Authors last name, then the name. Example: Esquivel, Laura.

Author Browse– To search by author. You have to write the Authors last name, then the name. Example: Esquivel, Laura.

Author Keywoard– To search by the authors name without an specific order. Example: you can write Laura Esquivel or Esquivel Laura.

Author Keywoard– To search by the authors name without an specific order. Example: you can write Laura Esquivel or Esquivel Laura.

Dewey Call Numbers – If you know the call number, you can search using this number (example: 791.4372 H673 DVD).

Dewey Call Numbers – If you know the call number, you can search using this number (example: 791.4372 H673 DVD).

General Keyword – To search by specific words that identify your topic. This option will retrieve resources that have the word in any field.

General Keyword – To search by specific words that identify your topic. This option will retrieve resources that have the word in any field.

Instructor Alphabetical – To locate resources that are put by professor on the Reserve bookroom (ex. Rodríguez, Lydia).

Instructor Alphabetical – To locate resources that are put by professor on the Reserve bookroom (ex. Rodríguez, Lydia).

Journal/Newspaper Title Browse – This option is to search by a journal or newspaper title (ej. Education and training in developmental disabilities).

Journal/Newspaper Title Browse – This option is to search by a journal or newspaper title (ej. Education and training in developmental disabilities).

Publication Date – To retrieve resources by publication date.

Publication Date – To retrieve resources by publication date.

Subject Browse –To locate resources of a specific topic (ex. Architecture).

Subject Browse –To locate resources of a specific topic (ex. Architecture).

Subject Keyword –To locate resources that have on the subject field the word you write (ex. Architecture).

Subject Keyword –To locate resources that have on the subject field the word you write (ex. Architecture).

Another way to limit your search is by Keyword Searches.

Another way to limit your search is by Keyword Searches.

Write the author’s name on Author KeywordWrite the author’s name on Author Keyword

This is an example of an advanced search:

Write the word Education under Subject Keyword.

Write the word Education under Subject Keyword.

Limit your search to locate resources on the Circulation Collection.

Limit your search to locate resources on the Circulation Collection.

Click the arrow. Click the arrow.

11 records were retrieved. This means there are 11 resources with Paulo Freire as author, about Education and that are on the Circulation Collection.

11 records were retrieved. This means there are 11 resources with Paulo Freire as author, about Education and that are on the Circulation Collection.

Another way to limit your search is to use Combined Keyword.

Another way to limit your search is to use Combined Keyword.

Here you can use the Boolean Operators

(AND, OR, NOT). The purpose is to control the

results and be able to limit the search.

Here you can use the Boolean Operators

(AND, OR, NOT). The purpose is to control the

results and be able to limit the search.

Boolean operators.Boolean

operators.

With AND you can retrieve resources that presents all the words

included on the search, (example: drugs and

adolescents).

With AND you can retrieve resources that presents all the words

included on the search, (example: drugs and

adolescents).

With OR you can retrieve resources with at least one word used during the search. (ex. drugs OR adolescents).

With OR you can retrieve resources with at least one word used during the search. (ex. drugs OR adolescents).

With NOT you can exclude a word from the

search results, (ex. adiction NOT alcohol).

With NOT you can exclude a word from the

search results, (ex. adiction NOT alcohol).

After reading this presentation you should be able to complete the exercise.

Bibliography

Colby-Sawyer College. (2007). Public access catalog (IPAC) tips. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://www.colby-sawyer.edu/information/library/ipactips.html.

Columbia University Libraries. (s.f.). Keyword search. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/help/clio/keyword.print.html.

Penn Libraries. (2007). PORT: Penn Online Research Tutorial. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/PORT/locating/keywordvssubject.html.

Universidad de Puerto Rico en Carolina. (2008). Catálogo en Línea. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://biblioteca.uprc.upr.edu.

Universitat Pomeu Fabra. (s.f.). Operadores booleanos. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://www.upf.edu/search/cast/aj-bool.htm.

VC/UHV Library. (2006). How to use the library catalog. Recuperado el 6 de septiembre de 2008, de http://vcuhvlibrary.uhv.edu/studyguides/onlinecat.htm.