Performing Research in the Academic Library

Tips and Strategies for Searching Library Catalogs and Databases

Feb 22, 2009 Heather Marie Kosur

Library users can use the search strategies of keyword searches, subject searches, and consulting help screens to perform efficient searches of catalogs and databases.

Performing research to find sources in the academic library can be daunting for the patron who is not trained in effective library search strategies. Library users can, however, learn a number of useful tips for performing more effective and efficient searches in both online library catalogs and electronic databases. Two of the most effective search strategies are keyword searches and subject searches. Library users should also consult help screens within each online library catalog and electronic database.

Searching Online Library Catalogs

Online library catalogs function as access points to the materials a library owns including books; journals, magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals; databases and indexes; government documents; maps; and CDs and DVDs. Most online library catalogs include at least two features for searching for materials: Quick Search and Advanced Search.

The Quick Search feature allows users to find materials by searching single fields such as title, author, and subject. Users can also use the Quick Search feature to search by keyword. The Advanced Search feature allows users to perform more complex searches by combining words and phrases in multiple fields.

Searching Electronic Databases

Electronic databases are searchable electronic collections of resources such as collections of journals and journal articles, books, newspapers and newspaper articles, reports, images, sound recordings, and citations and abstracts of other materials. Electronic databases are classified into two types of databases: indexes or bibliographic databases and full-text databases.

Indexes or bibliographic databases contain only citations and abstracts of other materials but not complete sources. Patrons can then use the citations to locate materials through other sources such as full-text databases and library catalogs. Full-text databases, conversely, do contain full-text sources such as complete newspaper and journal articles.

Keyword Searches for Any Word Anywhere

The first search strategy to try when performing both online library catalog and electronic database searches is to perform keyword searches for any word anywhere. For example, the patron who is looking for information on the care of shih tzus should use keywords such as "shih tzu," "dog," "pet," and "pet care." The catalog or database will then find all results that contain the keywords in any field such as a book with the title Basic Dog Care or a journal article cataloged under the subject heading "shih tzu."

Subject Searches

The second search strategy users should try to find sources in online library catalogs and electronic databases is to perform subject searches. Within most online library catalogs, users can perform Subject Heading searches for official Library of Congress Subject Headings. For example, a search for the subject "photography" provides the patron not only with the official subject heading "Photography" but also "Photography, Artistic," "Photography--History," and "Photography--United States." Similar searches can be performed in electronic databases in thesauri and indexes.

Consult Help Screens

Users should also consult help screens for each resource. The search features for every online library catalog and electronic database are slightly different. Help screens provide useful hints for searching each specific resource. For example, some databases contain thesauri of subject terms while others have indexes of descriptors. Help screens also provide tips for more easily narrowing and broadening searches.

Additional Sources

LEARN to Use the Library – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Library of Congress Online Catalogs – The Library of Congress

The copyright of the article Performing Research in the Academic Library in Academic Writing is owned by Heather Marie Kosur. Permission to republish Performing Research in the Academic Library in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.