3. Using the Patron Review Feature
4. Finding Community Information
6. Viewing the Simple Search Process
10. Conducting Boolean Searches
b. Conducting Wildcard Searches
c. Exact Phrase Searches with Quotation Marks
d. Searching: Putting it all together
11. Performing Combination Searches
13. Searching Reading Programs
14. Viewing the Record Display
19. Viewing Your Check Out History
20. Online Resources: Remote Access
21. Downloading and Printing Records
1. Introduction
This chapter shows you how to perform basic search functions using Library•Solution PAC. Library•Solution PAC is a public access catalog that utilizes your computer's Internet Web browser (such as Microsoft's Explorer or Netscape's Navigator). If you are unfamiliar with the navigational features of your Web browser, consult the browser's Help before proceeding with instructions that follow.
This chapter describes how to:
NOTE: Some of the features described here are optional and are noted as such. A PAC Configuration editor allows the library system administrator to determine what features will be made available and how they will be displayed. Your actual screens may be different than those shown in this chapter.
2. Elements of the Home Page
If you are using the PAC in a library, the home page of your public access catalog should already be displayed (Figure 3). (Your home page can be customized to include your library's name and logo, e-mail address, and other information. Additional features can be modified by authorized library staff using the PAC Configuration program.)
If you are using the PAC from outside the library's local network, security features may be in place that limit your access to certain types of databases. For additional information on databases that can be searched remotely, contact a librarian.
Figure 3. Library•Solution PAC sample library home page
From the home page, you can use the following buttons to reach the features of the Public Access Catalog:
Figure 4. Sample YouSeeMore page
3. Using the Patron Review Feature
The Patron Review feature lets you examine the information in your patron file on the library automation system, review items, and determine the position of on-hold items on the Holds list. This password protected file includes notification/billing information and the status of holds, fines, checkouts, etc., for your account. If the features have been enabled, you can also renew items from the Patron Review window, change your PIN, cancel pending holds, and view saved searches. (If Circulation is configured to collect patron loan history and this feature is enabled in the PAC Configuration, you will also be able to view your loan history at this location.)
To view your patron information, click the Patron Review button on the home page to reach the request form (Figure 5).
Figure 5. The patron request form
Enter the Patron ID number, press Tab, enter the PIN, and select the Submit Request button. The Patron Information window (Figure 6) will appear. If you have items checked out or on hold, they will be listed. You may renew items from this window by clicking the appropriate boxes and clicking the Renew Checked Items button. (If you do not have this information, check with the Circulation Desk.)
Figure 6. The Patron Information window
The PAC has an optional feature that allows you to change your PIN number. If the feature is enabled, a Change PIN button appears in the Patron Information window. To change your PIN number, click this button to display the Change Patron Information window (Figure 7). Enter your Current PIN and New PIN. Then re-enter your new PIN and click the Submit Change button to complete the process.
Figure 7. The Change Patron Information window
4. Finding Community Information
The Community Information feature lets you search the library’s database of information related to local issues, events, and other resources in your area.
To use this feature: click the Community Information button on the PAC home page to reach the Community Information window (Figure 8). Type your search term(s) in the blank box on the left (for example, “hotlines”). Then select a search category from the pulldown menu on the right and press Enter. If more than one item related to your query is available, a results set will be displayed. Click the results set and select an item from the list to view an individual Community Information record (Figure 9). Use the Save to List and Review List buttons to create a bibliography of community information resources. (Note: Community Information searches can also be performed through the PAC Search page if this feature has been enabled in your system.)
Figure 8. The Community Information window
5. Search Window Elements
Selecting the Catalog button on the home page displays the Search Selection page (Figure 10). From here you can:
To perform a general search of the catalog, type anything in the search query box on the Search Selection page and click Search. The results returned are based on searching the author, title, subject, and notes categories in the catalog. (Search results are interpreted in the following pages.)
Figure 10. The Search Selection page
6. Viewing the Simple Search Process
Understanding the options available in the simple search process (the Search option) will help you plan your search strategy and obtain consistent search results. In general, when you perform a simple search you:
a. Enter the term(s) to be searched in the appropriate box (Figure 11a);
b. Select the field to be searched (authors, titles, subjects, notes, publisher, or series) (Figure 11b);
c. Select the search type (begin with, contain, closely match, stem from, or sound like) (Figure 11c). (For more information on search types, see the Search Types section that follows.)
d. Limit the search by date, language, format, place, collection, and/or location if necessary by using the Set Limits button (Figure 11d). (Limiting by location can be enabled or disabled through the PAC Configuration module.)
e. Click the Search button to launch the query and display a list of matches (Figure 11e). Note: The result set indicates places in the record on which search terms were matched and the number of matches per record, providing information about whether the result is relevant to your search.
The PAC has an optional feature that lets you sort search results by various criteria (such as Title, Author, Publication Date, Availability, and Material Type.) If this feature is available from this PAC, select the radio button beside one of these criteria (or highlight the desired feature on the drop-down menu) to automatically resort the list. An optional drop-down list on the left side of the screen lets you set the “save list” options: saved checked items to a list, save all items to a list, or uncheck all selections.
f. Select an item on the list of matches to display the item record (Figure 11f). (In some cases, you will need to select from a second results list before an individual record is displayed.)
If the feature is enabled at your library, you can save your search by clicking the Save Search button on the toolbar. When the Search Saver window is displayed (Figure 12), enter the appropriate information and click the Save button. The saved searches can be retrieved through the Patron Review feature.
Figure 11a. Enter search term(s)
Figure 11b. Select field to be searched
Figure 11c. Select type of search to be performed
Figure 11d. Limit search by date, language, format, place, collection and/or location
Figure 11e. Click the search button to display a list of matches
Figure 11f. Select an item on the list of matches to display a record
Figure 12. The Search Saver window
Search Types
The results of your search may vary widely depending on the type of search you select.
Example: A search for titles that begin with Shakespeare retrieves only items with this word at the start of the title field. (Articles such as "A" and "The" are ignored.)
Examples: a search for cat looks for cat, cats, calc, and case; a search for apply looks for apply, apple, applied, and April; a search for read looks for read, lead, and real. Search results are organized alphabetically (not by relevance) according to the search type used, and unexpected results may occur.
Examples: a search for scream looks for scream, screaming, and screamed; a search for guitars looks for guitars and guitar; a search for sing looks for sing, sang, and sung.
NOTE: The PAC can be configured to perform the other types of searches listed above when the designated search type fails to yield results. (Staff can also set the order in which search types are used .) For example, if a "contains" search for "Shakespeare" does not produce results, the system can continue the same word search using the "begin with," "closely match," ‘exactly match," "stem from," and "sound like" search types.
If you start a Browse or Begins with search with the articles A, AN, or THE (e.g., A to Zoo), these articles are included in the search query. Other types of queries strip these leading articles from searches.
The Home and Help buttons are available throughout the search process: the first returning you to the PAC home page, and the second providing access to online Help page. (The Search, Browse, and Combination Search buttons are also available and are described later.) Notice that some of the text on various pages is underlined, indicating that additional information is linked to selected text. If you wish to look at the screen previously displayed during your search, select the Back button on your web browser.
Search History
After you have searched the PAC, a History button appears at the top of the page. You can click the button to review previous searches and search results. Only searches that used the Search or Browse features are recorded. (Search histories are erased when you click the Home button or when the PAC is automatically reset after being inactive.)
This is a good time to practice navigating through the PAC. Follow the sequences displayed in Figures 9a through 9f. When you are finished, click the Home button to return to the home page.
7. Performing Author Searches
Library•Solution PAC lets you search your catalog's author, title, subject, and notes indexes separately or in combination. The following examples illustrate the variety of results obtained from a search of William Shakespeare using the single Search feature.
To search for works written by William Shakespeare:
Figure 13. Beginning an author search
Figure 14. Selecting the type of search
Figure 15. Entering search terms
Figure 16. Results list produced by author search
8. Limiting Your Search
So far you've seen that author searches can be limited by word order and word position. They also can be limited by date of publication, language, format, and place of publication. (Location and Collection limiting can be added using the PAC Configuration program.) To use the search limiting features:
Figure 17. Configuring the Set Limits window
Figure 18. Results of search limited by format
Newest Item Searches
You can limit your search to recent items by clicking the New Items button on the toolbar. The search screen will then display a Received Since menu (Figure 19), allowing you to This Month, Last Month, and other parameters.
Limits Only Searches
You can use the Search and Newest Search options to perform searches by limits only (i.e., without search terms). For example, your can search for anything added this month or for all books in Chinese. If you click Search with no limits set and no search terms, the search is not performed and the following message is returned: "More information is required. Please enter a search term and/or select a search limit." A search with no terms, no limits, and only location(s) specified also returns this message. All other searches, including Browse, still require term(s) input.
Searching Available Items Only
All of the search pages include a Search Available Items Only checkbox that let you limit your searches by this parameter.
Figure 19. The Received Since window
9. Performing Title Searches
To search for works with William Shakespeare in the title:
Figure 20. Beginning a title search
Figure 21. Results list produced by a begin with title search
Figure 22. Results list produced by a contain title search
Figure 23. Individual record displayed from a contain title search
10. Conducting Boolean Searches
In the previous sections you learned how to search for individual words (Shakespeare) or phrases (William Shakespeare) in the catalog. Library•Solution PAC also lets you search for words and phrases in certain combinations. This feature is known as Boolean searching, and the symbols used to connect words and phrases are called Boolean operators. The following table illustrates the operators available, sample searches, and the desired results.
Before you try your hand at Boolean Searching from the Search page, remember that:
Structuring the Search
When you enter a search query in the "word(s)" box and press Search, the PAC reads your entry from left to right, using the Boolean operators and other symbols. It does not combine adjacent words into phrases unless you give it further instruction. For example, if you entered
William Shakespeare AND Julius Caesar
as a query, the PAC would search for records that contained all four words in any order. This problem can be solved by nesting words within parentheses. For example, the query
(William Shakespeare) AND (Julius Caesar)
would cause the PAC to search for occurrences of William Shakespeare and then search among the results for records that also contained Julius Caesar. Try using the two search queries presented above to see if different results are produced. Here is a more complex example:
((William Shakespeare) OR (Julius Caesar)) NOT (George Lyman Kittredge)*
_______________
*Find the phrase William Shakespeare or the phrase Julius Caesar where it does not appear with the phrase George Lyman Kittredge.
Conducting Wildcard Searches
Library•Solution PAC allows you to search for partial words in the search query box by using the wildcard symbol * [asterisk] to the right of a word stem. For example, a search of titles that begin with sales* might return a results list with titles starting with Salesperson, Salesmanship, or similar words. A contain search on titles using the query sales* might return a results list with titles such as Death of a Salesman or Effective Sales Management.
You may also use the * character in a search as a substitute for any individual character. For example, a titles search on wom*n will return results that include both woman and women.
Exact Phrase Searches with Quotation Marks
You can search for exact phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks ("All's Well that Ends Well").
Searching: Putting it all together
So far you have learned how to
The skills you have developed can also be applied to subject and notes searches. Try the following searches to expand your skills:
11. Performing Combination Searches
You have just learned how to perform a Boolean search using the Search option. This section shows you how to perform Boolean searches using the Combination search function.
What's the Difference?
First, the Combination search lets you search three fields simultaneously. The Combination search page has three search entry lines instead of just one (Figure 24). For each entry line, you can select the type of entry to be searched. Click the down arrow beside each selection box on the right and choose Title, Author, Subject, or Note.
After the first and second entry lines, select one of the Boolean operators AND, OR or NOT to determine the relationship between a search term and the term following. If you use two different operators select the radio button that describes how search terms should be grouped:
(Term 1 OPERATOR Term 2) OPERATOR Term 3
Term 1 OPERATOR (Term 2 OPERATOR Term 3)
Second, while Search performs a single search, the Combination search performs up to three individual searches and combines the results according to the relationships you defined among the search terms.
For example, you want to see if Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote anything about John Brown.
Using the Combination search feature, you could build a search query that looked only in the author field for Nathaniel Hawthorne and only in the subject field for John Brown (Figure 25). You could also specify that both conditions must be met before results are displayed. (To do this, select the Boolean AND between the first and second entry lines.) Depending on the contents of your library catalog, you could find the relevant item quickly and easily.
There is no difference between the way individual search queries are built in Search and Combination searches. You can use Boolean operators within a search query (search for Nathaniel Hawthorne AND John Brown) as well as use wildcards (*), and phrases (enclosed in quotation marks). You can also Set Limits in either search mode.
Figure 24. Combination Search window
Figure 25. Search for Nathaniel Hawthorne (author) AND John Brown (subject) using Combination searching
12. Using the Browse Feature
The Browse feature gives you a different way to search for and display results than the Search and Combination search options.
First, it lets you select Titles, Authors, Subjects, Notes, Local Call No. (from the local holdings field), Dewey Call No., GPO, ISBN, ISSN, LC Call No., OR LCCN. (These fields CANNOT be searched in combination.)
Second, it creates an alphabetical list of the results for your limited search and displays them in the form of a list in which you can move up or down (browse).
For example, you could browse for a Title containing Shakespeare (Figure 26). The results would be available in the form of a word list which you can browse using the up or down arrows (Figure 27).
If you performed a Dewey Call number search (Figure 28), your results would be available in the form of a numeric list which you can browse using the up or down arrows (Figure 29). (To search your own library's call numbers, use Local Call.)
Figure 26. Using the Browse word search
Figure 27. Results of a Browse word search
Figure 28. Beginning of a Browse number search
Figure 29. Results of a Browse number search
13. Searching Reading Programs
If this feature is available in your PAC, you can select a Reading Program button on the toolbar to display a specialized search form (Figure 30). From here, you can limit searches by reading Level, Interest Level, and Point value, in addition to the standard search parameters.
Figure 30. Reading Programs search form
To use the Reading Program search form, enter the appropriate search parameters and click the Search button. A results page will display the item found (Figure 31). Select the desired item to show the label display (Figure 32), which includes information on the Program Name, Interest Level, Reading Level, Point Value, Test Number, and Owner of the item.
Figure 31. Sample search results page for Reading Programs
Figure 32. Label Display page showing reading program information for an item with more than one reading program
14. Viewing the Record Display
The default display option (also known as the Labeled display) for an individual record is shown in Figure 33. (Since the display is configurable by Library staff, the screen you view may differ slightly from this illustration.)
Figure 33. The default label display
Note that the labeled display may include:
If your library has subscribed to enhanced content for the PAC, the following items may also appear:
Information about the item's location is also shown, including:
If the library allows holds to be placed on items, a Hold Request button will be displayed.
Underlined text such as Bentley, Gerald Eades indicates a link to additional information.
If the library allows the option, you may also view the record in MARC record format by selecting the MARC Display button at the top of the screen. A view similar to the one shown in Figure 34 is displayed, showing the individual record fields and their contents. To return to the previous display, select the Label Display button at the top of the screen.
Figure 34. MARC Record Display
15. Creating a Bibliography
You can save, display, organize, and print records you select from your searches. To save a record to a bibliography:
1. Conduct a search and display a record on your screen (such as the one shown in Figure 35.
2. Select the Save to List button at the top of the screen. You will be returned to the Results list, where a new screen displays the message The item was added to your list. (The display now includes a Review List and a Clear List button.) These buttons will remain on your screen as long as you have saved records during this session or until the screen refresh feature resets the PAC to the home page.
Figure 35. Bibliography created from saved records
To save multiple items simultaneously:
a. Conduct a search and display a results set.
b. Click the check box next to each item you want to save.
c. Click the Save Checked Items to List button. A new screen will be displayed with the message The checked items have been added to your list. (You can also use the drop-down menu on the upper left portion of the screen to "Save checked items to list," "Save all items to list," or "Uncheck all selections.")
3. Select the Review List button at the top of the screen to display the current bibliography (Figure 29).
Entries are divided into two columns, the left column containing the basic bibliographic information and the right containing information about each item's location. The current date is displayed at the top of the screen, indicating the time at which the information was current.
Note that the top of the display includes a Sort by menu bar, enabling you to reorganize the list according to Title, Author, Date, and Number of Pages.
4. To print the bibliography, use the Print feature on your Web browser.
5. To save the bibliography as a file, select Review List to display the information, then use the File | Save As feature on the browser's menu. Select the location where the file is to be stored, give the file a name, and save it as a text (.txt) file. You will then be able to edit the list using a word processor.
6. To start a new bibliography, select the Clear List button. If you want to keep your current bibliography, you should select the Save button before using the Clear List feature.
16. Placing Holds in the PAC
Optional Feature. (The library may not have enabled the Place Hold feature.) You can place hold requests for any titles you are eligible to check out. To place a hold, you must be a registered library patron and must know your assigned Patron ID (barcode number) and PIN.
To place a hold on a non-serials item (if holds are permitted) search for the title of interest. When the title is displayed in the results set or the Labeled Display format, select the Hold Request button. The Hold Request form is displayed, as shown in Figure 36. If items of the title are available, the locations will be shown under the author and title display. Depending on library rules, you can place requests even if items are currently available. Enter your Patron ID and PIN and select the location where you want to pick up the item from the drop-down menu (Figure 37). (If you do not select a location, the item will be sent to the library where you are registered.)
Figure 36. The Hold Request Form
Figure 37. Patron pickup option
To place a hold on serials, search for the title of interest and click on the appropriate title. The system displays all issues, including those that are not barcoded. (If the item is not barcoded, holds cannot be placed on the item.) To expand item information, click the Click to see all items button, select the check-box on the item you want to place hold, then click Place Hold Request button (Figure 38). You can place holds on multiple items.
Enter the Patron ID or Alternate ID number, press Tab, and enter the PIN. Press Tab again and Enter, or simply select the Submit Request button.
Figure 38. Expanded item information display for serials
If the Patron ID or PIN is not correct, a message similar to this will be displayed: Your hold request failed for the following reason(s): The Patron ID number or PIN is not valid. If you are not eligible to check out an item of this type, according to the checkout rules established by the library in the Circulation module, a different message will be displayed. For more information, check the registration information with library Circulation staff.
When the requested item is available, library staff will contact you. The item will usually be available for pickup at your "home" location, that is, the location where you first registered for a library card. You can select the location where you wish to pick up the item.
Holds and bookings can be placed from the Save List page. To use this feature, review the Save To list, check the boxes to the left of the desired items, and click the Booking Request(s) or Hold Request(s) button. If you are not currently logged into the system, you will be requested to enter a valid user name and password. Then Submit the request.
If the hold request was successful, the following message will be displayed:
Your hold has been approved for:
Author .........
Title ..........
17. Placing a Booking Request
Optional Feature. Does a patron need an item for a two-day presentation next month? Does someone want to show a film at a specific time? Library staff can use the Booking feature to ensure that items from their own location will be available when patrons need them. (This feature is available only when it has been enabled by the library owning the item[s]. The patron type requesting an item must also be authorized to book this type of item at the location that owns it.)
To use the Booking feature staff will:
A message will be displayed indicating whether the booking was approved. You can view a list of the items that have been booked through the Patron Review function.
Note: If your location has NOT selected the PAC Booking option in the System Configuration, the following message will be displayed when you click the Book Item button: "Item cannot be booked."
Figure 39. The booking request form
18. Viewing Course Reserves
Configurable Option. You can view lists of course reserves that have been placed in Circulation. To view this information, select the Reserve button on the toolbar to display the selection window (Figure 40). Use the drop-down lists to select the instructor, department and course, and click the Show Reserves button to display reserved items (Figure 41).
Figure 40. Course Reserves selection window
Figure 41. Display of reserved items
19. Viewing Your Check Out History
Optional Feature. When this option is enabled, you can view a list of titles you have previously checked out (Figure 42). This information can be viewed through the password protected Patron Review feature.
Figure 42. Checkout history display
20. Online Resources
Remote Access
Optional Feature. Libraries often subscribe to a variety of online resources and may wish to limit remote access to authorized patrons. Library•Solution PAC has an optional feature that lets libraries achieve this goal.
If this feature is available at your library, the home page will include an Online Resources button. Click it to reach the Remote Patron Authentication page and enter your Patron ID number and PIN (Figure 43). (If you don't have this information, consult the librarian.)
Figure 43. The Remote Patron Authentication window
Click the Logon button to reach an Online Resources page that has been created by the library (Figure 44). Follow the onscreen instructions.
Figure 44. A sample online resources page
21. Downloading and Printing Records
Library•Solution PAC lets you save individual records in MARC format to a file for later use. To save a record in MARC format, select the MARC Download button from the top of the record display.
In the browser, a Save window will appear, allowing you to save any record to any available drive, change the file name, or perform other operations on the file. The downloaded record is in USMARC format and can be imported to Library•Solution or other MARC cataloging applications. The record will be available for editing the next time you open the Cataloging module.
You can use the Windows Print feature to print files you have saved and your browser print feature to print records displayed on screen.
