High Library
Elizabethtown College
To use the links in this guide, go to:
http://www2.etown.edu/library/catalog.htm

High Library Catalog

Search the catalog                                Refine your search             Search tips
Build your bibliography                        Locate reserves                 Place requests
My account                                           More helpful hints

Search the catalog: getting started
The catalog shows you what books, periodicals, DVDs, videos and CDs are available at the High Library.

Does the library own this book?
Use the Title search to retrieve catalog records with those words in the title. It is not necessary to type articles or prepositions such as A, AN, IT and THE. See stopwords for a complete list.

words or phrase author title subject series periodical title	the man who mistook his wife for a hat

Does the library have anything on my topic?
Keyword searches in Words or phrase will retrieve items containing the words together in any one field. This is the broadest type of search, with the highest number of results and the largest number of irrelevant items. Use AND between search terms to find items with those words in several different labeled fields such as subject and title.

words or phrase author title subject series periodical title	amish AND education

This is too much information, how do I find fewer items that are more specific?
Use the subject search. More ideas here.
The browse feature allows you to see how a large subject area is subdivided. Explore catalog headings beginning with the first word entered.

I'm not getting any results. Does the library really have nothing on my topic?
Use a broader term. Use other terms to describe your topic. More ideas here.
Save yourself some time and talk with a librarian to locate other terms or sources.

What else has this author written?
Use an author search using the author's last name to produce a list of items created by that author. Use WorldCat for a more complete listing of an author's works.
Use browse if you're not sure how to spell an author's name.

What have other people written about this author?
Use a subject search to search for books written about an author.

Does the library own this journal that I need?
Use periodical title search to locate journals and magazines kept in The High Library in print or fiche format. For a complete listing of electronic full text journals use Locate E-town Journals

How do I find books on controversial topics?
A series search locates any records with those words in the series title (example: Current Controversies, Opposing Viewpoints, etc.).

Refine your search

Combine search elements
Increase the power/specificity of your search by combining word or phrase, author, title, and subject. Use the Boolean operator pull-down menu located at the end of each search field to further refine or to broaden your search. Use the reset button if you want to clear fields and enter different search terms.

Search tips , limits,  and call number searches

Truncation
Broaden your search using truncation symbols.
Truncate at the end of a search word using $ : example - fundamental$ , finds fundamentalist, fundamentalism, etc.
Truncate within a word using ? : example - wom?n , finds women and woman.

How do I find a video or DVD on my topic?
Narrow your search by selecting limits from the pull-down menus located at language, item type, item location, and publication year.
The item type limiter will allow you to look for just CDs, DVDs, videos, reference books and juvenile books as an example.

The call number search is a browsing feature that is helpful for exploring virtually what's on the shelf next to a useful item.

Build your bibliography using the library catalog
After completing a search, click on keep to save the record of an item. When your list is finished, click on kept on the center toolbar to view all of your selected items. You can choose to organize your list by author, title or call number. Print or email your list.

What has my professor placed on reserve for my class?
Click on reserve desk located on the top tool bar to search by instructor's name, course name or course number.
A title search in the library catalog will say: "No copies currently available. Estimated wait undetermined." Click on Details and note that the item location is Circ-Res (On Reserve at the Circulation Desk). Ask for the item at the circulation desk.

Place requests for checked out and in-process items
When you find an item in the library catalog, be sure to click on details to see if the item is checked out or in-process.
If it is checked out, click on place hold and follow the information to enter your user ID and PIN. You will be notified by email when the item is returned and ready for pick-up.
If the item is in-process, click on ask us at the upper right under "Library Info" and follow the information to request an in-process item.
On-order items in the catalog have not yet arrived at the library. You cannot request items shown as on-order.

My account: review and renew items online, change my PIN number
Click on My account located on the top toolbar. Follow the instructions to enter your user ID and PIN number.
Contact the  Library circulation desk at 361-1222 (ext. 1222) if you are having problems viewing your account online.
You can only renew library items one time online. Contact the circulation desk for further renewals.

More helpful library information
You do not need to leave the High Library catalog to link directly to other library resources. The Library Info box located in the upper right links to Locate E-town journals, subject guides, search and find articles, and Ask us.

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• The High Library
• Louise Hyder-Darlington and Sylvia Morra
• updated 8/14/2007