LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
UNIT 3: THE LIBRARY CATALOG
One of the most important research skills you will need in college is the ability to use an online
catalog. If you want to find out exactly which books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines the library owns,
you check the library catalog. By using the library catalog, you can effectively and efficiently
search for and retrieve information on MiraCosta College Library resources (both San Elijo and
Oceanside campuses.), and determine whether the resources are available to be checked-out.
MiraCosta College Library's online catalog is a computerized index to the books, videos, sound
recordings, and periodical titles in our collection. It also provides access to both print and electronic
reserve materials as well as certain catalogued e-books and websites. The catalog is designed to be
accessed from computers in the libraries, computer classrooms, in the computer labs on both
campuses or over the World Wide Web.
Now, go to the MiraCosta College Library Web page:
Step 1. www.miracosta.edu/library
Step 2. Under the heading Electronic Resources, click on MiraCosta Library Catalog
Step 3. You are now ready to search
Part I: Basic Search Instructions
There are many possible ways of searching for information in the online catalog. The primary
choices include: BASIC SEARCH, ADVANCED SEARCH, and CALL NUMBER BROWSE.
figure 1: Basic Search screen
The BASIC SEARCH is likely to be your most frequent way of searching. It allows you to type a
simple keyword, phrase, subject, title or author in the search box. In a BASIC SEARCH, there are
two radio buttons that will lead you to different search results depending on which one you select.
figure 2: Search options
Keyword returns records containing the words entered, in any order.
Alphabetical Browse returns a list of items, beginning with the first word entered.
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
Basic Search Options
In the BASIC SEARCH, it is possible to search the catalog by EVERYTHING, AUTHOR,
TITLE, SUBJECT, SERIES and PERIODICAL TITLE.
Search Type
Description
Example
EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING search is a keyword
search across all fields indexed in the
library records (author, subject, title,
etc.)
(Type) Cyber security
(Click on) everything
AUTHOR
AUTHOR search finds and displays
all library materials using all or part of
the author's name.
(Type) Angelou, Maya
(Click on) author
TITLE
A TITLE search finds and displays all (Type) Catcher in the Rye
library materials using all or part of a
(Click on) title
title. (hint: Do not type articles such as
“a,” “an,” or “the”)
SUBJECT
A SUBJECT* search finds and
displays all library materials using all
or part of a subject.
(Type) Cryonics
(Click on) subject
SERIES
Use a SERIES search for any kind of
series, such as opposing viewpoints or
taking sides. Type in the name of the
series or keywords and click on the
Series icon.
(Type) current controversies
(Click on) series
PERIODICAL
TITLE
A PERIODICAL TITLE search finds
and displays all library periodicals
using all or part of a periodical title.
Please be aware that the online catalog
does not index individual articles in
periodicals. There are specific print
and electronic indexes that do this.
(Type) Scientific American
(Click on) periodical title
*The subject headings used in our catalog and most libraries are those established by the Library of
Congress. A list of these subject headings can be found in the volumes of the Library of Congress
Subject Headings (LCSH) available in the reference area. By learning the standardized subject
headings, your subject searches will be more focused. For additional assistance, ask a Reference
Librarian.
Part II: Viewing Your Search Results
Once you have performed the search, you are shown a "results" list. You have the option of clicking
on the KEEP button or the DETAILS button.
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
figure 3: Search results
Click DETAILS to obtain more information. You will see three tabs: Item Information,
A Look Inside, and Catalog Record.
Item Information- by selecting this tab you will see basic publication information about the item as
well as its location (SEC, OCN, or INTERNET), call number (location on the shelf) and availability
(check out or stacks).
figure: 4 Item record
Title
Publisher
Author
Publication Date
Library
Call Number
Physical Location
Catalog Record - by selecting the catalog record tab, you will see more in-depth information about
the publication, including official Subject Terms and its physical attributes.
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
figure 5: Catalog Record
Physical
description
Subject
term
A Look Inside - by selecting this tab, you may find some of the content of the item, such as the
table of contents, book reviews, and summaries. This additional content is often only available for
newer publications and e-books.
figure 6: A look inside
If you wish to save selected items and then print or email a list to yourself, use the
KEEP button on your results list. The KEEP button also appears on the left hand side of the screen
when you are looking at the details of an item. To review your list, click on Kept at the top of the
screen. On the right hand side, you are presented with Options for formatting, printing or emailing
your list.
Part III: Advanced Searching
figure 7: Catalog searches
ADVANCED SEARCH will let you find all library materials described by using particular words
or phrases in a specific combination. You may enter words or phrases in one, some, or all of the
WORD or PHRASE, AUTHOR, TITLE, SUBJECT, SERIES or PERIODICAL TITLE fields.
The pull down menus in the lower half of the screen will help you to limit the items in your search
to a particular publication year, item type, library shelving location or language.
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
figure 8: Advanced Search
CALL NUMBER BROWSE is used for searching an item by its call number or shelf location. A
call number identifies the item's subject; thus, it is possible to search the library shelves by
computer, whether you are in the library, in an on-campus computer lab or anywhere else where
there is Internet access and an available computer. The pull down menus allow you to select which
library location (i.e. Oceanside (OCN), San Elijo (SEC), or E-Resource, classification (i.e. Library
of Congress), and item type (i.e. book, cassette, CD, video, software, slide, pamphlet), which you
may use to qualify your browse.
figure 9: Call Number Browse
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
UNIT 3: ASSIGNMENT
Name:_______________________________________
Date: ____________________
Instructor:_________________________
This lesson is intended to be completed using MiraCosta Library’s Online Catalog. Go to the
MiraCosta College Library home page, and select MiraCosta Library Catalog. Answer the
following questions using the library catalog. You may use a BASIC or ADVANCED SEARCH,
or CALL NUMBER BROWSE. If you are still confused, please reread the online catalog lesson.
Hint: After each search, click on the NEW SEARCH button.
1. How many titles are in the collection by the author, Jared Diamond?______________
2. What is the title and publication date of his most recent book?_____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Search the catalog for the following items using the information provided. Please fill in the
remaining blanks with the information you find in the online catalog.
3. Author:______________________________________
Title: Long Memory: the Black Experience in America
Call Number:_________________________________
4. Author: Owen, Peter____________________________
Title:________________________________________
Call Number:__________________________________
Place of Publication:____________________________
Publisher:_____________________________________
Date of Publication:_____________________________
5. Author:_______________________________________
Title:_________________________________________
Call Number:_____PS2956 .H43 1994_______________
Which campus library has the book?_________________
Is the book currently available for check-out?__________
6. Subject Term: Eating Disorders
How many items are in your Search Results list?____________________________________
Select one of the items listed in the results for eating disorders and complete the following:
Author:__________________________________________________________________
Title:____________________________________________________________________
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
Call Number:______________________________________________________________
Where in the library is the item shelved?________________________________________
7. Subject Term: Global Warming
How many items are in your Search Results list?__________________________________
Select on of the items listed in the results for global warming and complete the following:
Author:___________________________________________________________________
Title:____________________________________________________________________
Call Number:______________________________________________________________
Publisher and Publication date:________________________________________________
Now click on the Catalog Record tab and provide the following information
Subject Term 1:_______________________________
Subject Term 2:_______________________________
Click on one of the Subject Terms you found. List one other title you found when you clicked
on the subject term link._______________________________________________________
8. Find the item record for the book Dark Tower by Stephen King. Click on the "A Look
Inside" tab. What kind of information is provided for this book?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
9. Search the catalog for the CD entitled Caribbean Playground.
Who is the publisher of the CD?_________________________________________________
What is the publication date?____________________________________________________
What is the call number?________________________________________________________
Name one song title from the country of Trinidad. (hint: look at the catalog record)_________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Using the EVERYTHING search, provide the number of results for the following words
searched:
Children ____________________________________________________________
Violence ____________________________________________________________
Media ______________________________________________________________
Children AND Violence _______________________________________________
Children AND Violence and Media _____________________________________
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LIBR 101: Library & Information Strategies
11. Select three items from your previous search on children AND violence AND media by
clicking on the KEEP button. Once you have selected three, click on the word Kept (located
in the dark blue band just above the search results.) Using the Options on the Kept screen,
print out the list of items you kept and attach the list to this lesson.
Options Menu
Click to Print List
UNIT 3-8