Help Center

• Searching
• Searching (Advanced)
• Saving your searches
• Renewals
• Ratings
• Using My Lists
• Using My Record Feeds

Searching

Type the keyword you want to find. For example:

• design
• bleachers grisham

Search Tips

Wildcards	Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters. The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string. You may use '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word. Examples : environment* polic*, wom?n
Boolean Operators	Use "and" or "or" to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use "and not" to exclude words. Example : stocks and bonds Example : (alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Field limits	A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).
Grouping	Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

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Advanced Keyword Search Tips

Multiple Words

When searching multiple words the system will automatically supply the Boolean "and" operator between each word; multiple words entered for the search will all occur somewhere in the retrieved records though not necessarily in the order entered. Both examples on the right will retrieve the same results.

Phrase Searches

Search for complete phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes will appear together in all results exactly as typed.

Wildcards

*   Matches any number of non-space characters, starting at the specified position in the word. For example, "comput*" will match all words that begin with "comput" (e.g., "computer", "computation", etc.).
The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string.

?   You may use a question mark ('?') to replace a single character anywhere within a word.

Boolean Operators

Use AND or OR to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use AND NOT to exclude words. Select the operator you wish to use from the selection list on the Advanced Search form.

Field Limits

Field limits may be specified by selecting a field limit from the selection list. These limits appear before the word or phrase to be searched. A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).

Field Limits and their meanings:

• Author: Search only author fields
• Title: Search only title fields
• Subject: Search only subject fields
• Note: Search only note fields

Grouping

Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

 Most relevant titles 

 Highly relevant titles 

 Very relevant titles 

 Relevant titles 

 Other relevant titles 

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Saving your searches

If you have a favorite author or subject for which you often search when using the catalog, you can save the search with the click of a button. This will prevent you from having to key in the search each time and let you place reserves on new materials quicker.

How to:

1. Log in to My Account.
2. Click on the "New Search" button.
3. Search for your favorite author, subject, title, etc. or create an advanced keyword search including limits to material type, language, publication year, etc..
4. When your results are displayed, click the button marked "Save as preferred search".
5. The next time that you log in to your Account, you can click the "Preferred Searches" button to see a list of your saved searches.
6. Click on the search link associated with any of the preferred search terms in the list to quickly execute your search.
7. You can be alerted of new materials added to the library collection which match your searches. Just check the "Mark for Email" box and be sure that your patron record information includes your current email address.

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Renewals

Library cardholders may renew their own materials online. All material may be renewed except for materials with reserves, materials which have holds/recalls on them and materials on which you owe fines.

How to:

1. Log in to My Account.
2. If not the default view click the "Items currently checked out" link to view the materials you have checked out.
3. Select the materials you want to renew by checking the boxes in the RENEW column and then click the Renew Selected button. If you want to renew everything, click the Renew ALL button.
4. If you cannot renew items, a message will appear on the screen. If you are successful, a new due date will appear in the "STATUS" column. Always check the STATUS column for information on the success or failure of your renewal.

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Ratings

Library card holders may rate books or other materials in the WebPAC from either the bibliographic record display or a record browse using brief citation. To do so:

• If you are logged in to My Account, you can rate the material by clicking one of the five star indicators to rate it on a scale of one to five, with one being the lowest and five being the highest rating.
• If you click on one of the five star indicators without being logged in to My Account, you will be prompted to log in prior to being able to rate the material.

Explanation of Ratings

	Excellent. Highly recommend.
	Very Good. Exceeds expectations.
	Good. Met expectations but did not exceed them.
	Fairly low opinion. Recommend only with reservations.
	Extremely low opinion of this item. Would not recommend.
	Never been rated. No recommendation available.

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Using My Lists

Adding Records to My Lists

You can add records to your patron record from a record browse, from a Bag, or from a full record display. NOTE: When adding records from a browse display, you must add them to your list or bag before moving from your existing page display to a new page a records.

• Adding to My Lists from a record browse display
1. Check the mark box next to the appropriate records and then click the “Add Marked to My Lists” option.
2. If you are not logged in to your library account, the system will prompt you to do so.
3. Once you are logged in to your library account, the system offers the ability to save the records to an existing list or create a new list.
• If you choose to create a new list, the system will ask you for a ‘List Name’ and a ‘Description’. A ‘Description’ is optional. Once you are done, click Submit to create the new list. The system displays a confirmation message for the new list.
• If you save to an existing list, the system updates the existing list with the records and displays a confirmation message.
• Adding to My Lists from a Bag
1. Check the mark box next to the appropriate records and then click the “Add Marked to Bag” option.
2. Click on "View Bag"
3. On the Bag screen, click the Add to My Lists link. If you are not logged in to your library account, the system prompts you to do so.
4. Once you are logged in to your library account, the system offers the ability to save the records to an existing list or create a new list.
• If you choose to create a new list, the system will ask you for a ‘List Name’ and a ‘Description’. A ‘Description’ is optional. Once you are done, click Submit to create the new list. The system displays a confirmation message for the new list.
• If you save to an existing list, the system updates the existing list with the records and displays a confirmation message.
• Adding to My Lists from a Full Record Display
1. Check the “Add to My Lists” option.
2. If you are not logged in to your library account, the system prompts you to do so.
3. Once you are logged in to your library account, the system offers the ability to save the records to an existing list or create a new list.
• If you choose to create a new list, the system will ask you for a ‘List Name’ and a ‘Description’. A ‘Description’ is optional. Once you are done, click Submit to create the new list. The system displays a confirmation message for the new list.
• If you save to an existing list, the system updates the existing list with the records and displays a confirmation message.

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Using My Record Feeds

"My Record Feeds" offers you an RSS feed of your patron-specific information, notifying you that

• Requested materials are on the hold shelf and ready for pickup. (If you are eligible for home or office delivery, they are on their way.)
• Checked out items are due soon.
• Checked out items are due today.
• Checked out items are overdue.
• Checked out items have been recalled.
• New fine or fee has been added.

Your patron record information is protected in the URL of the feed using a complex and unique identifier for each patron's feed. Patron feeds do not contain information such as your name. The feeds contain contextual links to your patron record and requires you to verify against that record in order to follow the links.

To set up your record feed:

1. Log in to My Account.
2. Click on the "My Record Feeds" button.
3. Subscribe to the feed in any of the following ways:
• Using the Live Bookmark feature of a browser or other RSS feed reader.
• Manually adding a Live Bookmark to their browser or other RSS feed reader.
• Coping the URL from the link in their record and using it to subscribe using the patron's RSS feed reader.

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