1. Locate the Library Catalog (tomCat).

The Web Catalog

Basic Search Procedure

1. Enter the search term in the search box.
   Note: Author, title, and subject terms must match the catalog entry in exact order, left to right. Truncation is automatic after the last letter entered. Keywoards can be in any field and in any order. AND is implied between words in a keyword search.
2. Identify the type of search by clicking on either the author, title, subject or keyword button.
3. Option: You may limit the search to selected libraries. To do so, choose from the "limit" menu below the search buttons before clicking on the search button.

Record Display

The Full Record Display is useful to show subject headings (which indicate the content of the book), a physcial description of the book, additional content information (e.g., indexes, illustrations, bibliographies, etc.), ISBN and other potentially useful information. The library holdings information, which shows where the book is located, is at the bottom of the record.

The Advanced Search

• Want to search by multiple terms in author, title or subject fields.
• Do not know the exact author, title or subject entry.
• Need to use boolean operators or field qualifiers for more complex searching.
• Choose to limit search by date, language or material type.

Advanced Search Procedure

• Enter search term(s) in search box. Words can be in any order. Use AND, OR or NOT between words that should not be adjacent.
• Option: limit by date, language or type of material.
• Identify the type of search (author, title, subject or keyword) by clicking on the appropriate button.

The Telnet Catalog

You will know you are in the Telnet tomCat when you see these words at the top of the screen display:

The line below "UNIV. OF MEMPHIS CATALOG" is the operating menu:

You can select menu items by using the Tab or Arrow keys. When a menu item is selected, it is highlighted in red. To activate the highlighted menu item, press the Enter key.* The box menu that opens will show you what operations are possible at that point. Use the arrow keys to move up and down in the box. Press the Enter key to activate a selected (highlighted) item.
*A shortcut: You can select and open the menu item window at the same time just by typing the red letter in each word; for example, F = Find.

The Find Menu: Choosing Your Point of Access

Each of the choices on the Find menu is a different point of access to the catalog records. The choice you make determines the results you get. Be alert to new possibilities. If necessary, experiment with different points of access and various search terms.

• Use for one author, one title, or one subject heading.
• The word(s) you type must match term exactly as it appears on the bibliographic record in left-to-right word order.
• Truncation is automatic after the last letter entered.
• It allows you to enter partial spelling of an author's name or the first words of a title (except a, an, or the). It also allows you to browse subject headings.
• Provides two-level hitlists for multiple matches. It takes you from broad categories to more specific lists. Subject searches show subheadings and suggest related subject terms.

• Searches for individual words anywhere within the field you specify: author keyword (author field), title keyword (title field), subject keyword (subject field), or keywords (anywhere on the bibliographic record).
• The logical operator "and" is automatically inserted between words (no need to type it).
• Truncation is not automatic; you get exactly what you type in, nothing more. If you want to truncate, use the following characters: ? to replace one or more characters at the end (child?), # to replace a single character (wom#n).
• Use to search for books with multiple authors and subject headings.

• Use for expanded Boolean searching. Expert keyword searching allows you to combine keywords in specific fields with logical operators AND, OR and NOT. Follow the formula given in the search box. If you do not specify a field [qual], the full record will be searched. Put OR items in parentheses.
• You can search with the following qualifiers: au (author), ti (title), su (subject), se (series), cn (call number), nt (note field), pu (publisher), bn (ISBN), sn (ISSN), ut (uniform title), or lc (LC card).

Search Steps

1. Highlight Find. Press Enter.
2. Select (highlight) the search mode (author, title, subject, etc.). Press Enter.
3. Follow directions given in the search box to type in your search term. Press Enter.
4. Read resulting hitlist.
5. Display an individual entry (holdings display) by typing its corresponding number (on the far left). The holdings display includes the short book record, which describes the book, and the item record, which tells you where the book is located in the library system. If there is only one "hit," you will get the holdings display automatically.
6. Copy the call number from the item record.
7. If you don't get the results you expect, check spelling, use different terms, try keyword searching (or another mode), or ask library staff for suggestions.

The Options Menu

Use the Options menu on the holdings display to see the full book record, to print or to create a print file.

• The Full Record
  The holdings display shows only part of the book record. To see the full record, pull down the Options menu, highlight Full, and press the Enter key.
  
  
• Printing
  Unless you change the print options, "Print this Title" will print only the citation and the item record (if there is one) for the item shown, even if the full bibliographic display is on the screen. If you press Print Screen, you will get only what is shown on the screen, which may not be the full record. The call number at the top of the full bibliographic display may not be the same as the call number shown on the item record below the line on the holdings display. You can print both the full bibliographic display and the item record (library location and call number) by selecting Print Options, then Formats, then Detail. Press Enter then use the left arrow to go back to the Options menu and the up arrow to Print this Title. Press Enter. You can print multiple records by using Print to File, or by printing from the hitlist display.
  
  
• Printing in the library
  Print commands from terminals in McWherter Library are directed to the printers in the Copy Center on the first floor. You must use a debit card to pay for your printouts. Detailed instructions for the printing process in the library are located at each terminal.

2. Locate and Copy the Call Number

Telnet: The call number appears in two places on the holdings display: above the line in the bibliographic record and below the line in the item record. Use the call number in the item record below the line. [ Holdings display screen ]

The U of M Libraries uses the Library of Congress Classification System, which, like the Dewey Decimal System used by the area public libraries, arranges the books on the shelves by subject. An LC number begins with letters of the alphabet instead of numbers. A typical LC call number is QA76.9 .C66 S88 1995. Though the call number is written horizontally on the catalog record, it is written vertically on the book like this:

3. Find the Book

In addition to the call number, the catlog item record on the holdings display tells you where the book is located. (In the Telnet catalog, you may have to press L to get the location.) The U of M Libraries Catalog lists holdings in McWherter Library (Main), five branch libraries, Jackson State Community College, and Dyersburg Community College. If no location information is given in the item record, ask for assistance at the nearest information desk, or all the Reference Desk at 901-678-2208.

In the McWherter Library (the main library in the U of M Libraries), the call number tells you where the book is located. Unless noted otherwise (e.g., Reference), the books are in the general collection (the "stacks") on the 3rd and 4th floors. Call numbers beginning with the letters

Telnet Catalog: If the book is elsewhere in McWherter, in one of the branch libraries, in Jackson State Community College, or Dyersburg Community College, press L to get the item record. If L is not given as an option, ask at the nearest service desk for assistance in locating the book.

The item record also tells you whether or not the book has been checked out. Available means the book has not been checked out. [Telenet only: To find out when a checked-out book is due back, type the number in the left margin of the item record.] Ask at the Circulation Desk about searches for books not on the shelf. You may also request holds and recalls for checked-out books at the Circulation Desk.

You must have a current U of M ID or user card to check out books. Inquire at the Circulation Desk about borrowing privileges.