Tips for Searching the MassCat Catalog

Navigating within the catalog:

Below is a description of most of the navigation functions available to you as you search the MassCat catalog:

• Keyword Search: Returns to a blank search screen limited to keyword searching without qualifiers.
• Browse: Returns to a blank search screen limited to browse searches.
• Advanced Search: Returns to a blank search screen with advanced searching features.
• Help: Opens a new browser window and displays the online help guide.

When you have run a search and have viewed the results, you can return to your search page by choosing one of the following options from the drop down menu called “Search Options:”

• New Search: Returns to a blank search screen reset to the default search settings for your library.
• Modify Search: Returns to the most recent search screen with the most recent search string available, retaining the “settings” you chose to search with.  (Scoping level, type of search (word search, alphabetical browse, etc.), etc.)
• Start Over: Returns to a blank search screen reset to the default search settings for your library.

Searching the catalog:

There are three methods for searching the MassCat catalog:

Keyword Search

Browse

Advanced Search (this is the default)

Use the tabs that run along the top of the screen to choose the type of search you wish to perform.  If you do not choose a search type, Advanced Search is used as the default search method.

1.  Advanced Search (default mode):

• Searches the catalog for author, title, subject or notes, or for all four headings (use drop down menu to specify a type of search).
• Searches can be limited using Boolean operators (And/Or/Not), click on the button for the Boolean operator you wish to use.
• The words: ‘and’, ‘at’, ‘by’, ‘etc’, ‘for’, ‘from’, ‘in’, ‘of’, ‘on’, ‘the’, ‘to’, ‘with’ are ignored.
• Searches can be scoped to a single library collection (“My Library”) or a pre-selected group of libraries (“Partner Libraries”).
• Results will contain all words used in search.
• Searches can be truncated through the use of wildcard characters.
• Searches can be qualified by date, language, media type, or form.  Result lists can be pre-sorted.

Truncation:

• Use the wildcard character ‘?’ to replace a single character in your search term.  (Searching for the author term “gr?y” will yield results containing titles for the author Zane Grey as well as Susan Gray.)
• Use the wildcard character ‘*’ to replace multiple characters in your search term.  (Searching for the subject term comput* will yield results containing the subject terms computer, computers, and computing.)

Qualifiers:

The following qualifiers can be used in Advanced Search to limit search results:

Scoping:

• Scoping allows users to limit searches to their own library’s collection (sometimes called “My Library”), a set of “Partner Libraries,” or to All Libraries that belong to MassCat.
• Choose the scoping limiter you wish to use by clicking on the arrow and selecting from the list.

Date:

• Searches can be limited to items published during a specific year or range of years.
• Enter the date or dates you wish to limit you search by in the “Year of Publication” box.
• For help with searching dates, and for other date searching options, click on the “Select here for help with Dates” link.

Language:

• Searches can be limited by language.
• Click on the “Click here to Select Language” link for a list of available languages.  A new screen will appear. 
• Place a check mark in the box next to the language you wish to search for.  Then click the green “Submit” button located at the top or bottom of the screen.

Media:

• Searches can be limited to a specific media format, such as books, maps, computer files, etc.
• Click on the “Click Here to Select Media” link for a list of media types.  A new screen will appear.
• Place a check mark in the box next to the media type you wish to search for.  Then click the green “Submit” button located at the top or bottom of the screen.

Form:

• Searches can be limited to a specific form: Braille, Electronic, Large Print, or Microform.
• Click on the “Click Here to Select Form” link for a list of form types.  A new screen will appear.
• Place a check mark in the box next to the form you wish to search for.  Then click the green “Submit” button located at the top or bottom of the screen.

Misc:

• Searches can be limited using some miscellaneous categories: Government Publications, Theses, or URL Present.
• Click on the “Click Here to Select Misc” link for a list of miscellaneous categories.  A new screen will appear.
• Place a check mark in the box next to the miscellaneous category you wish to search for.  Then click the green “Submit” button located at the top or bottom of the screen.

Sort Results:

• Sort commands will only work when search yields fewer than 1,000 hits.
• Search result lists can be pre-sorted by date, title or author by using the drop down list under “Sort By” at the bottom of the search page.
• To have result list sorted by newest date: Choose “Newest Titles First”
• To have result list sorted by oldest date: Choose “Newest Titles Last”
• To have result list sorted alphabetically by title: Choose “Alphabetically by Title”
• To have result list sorted alphabetically by author’s last name: Choose “Alphabetically by Author”
• To have result list sorted by number of locations (holdings) on each record: Choose “Number of Locations/Title.”  (This will move records with the highest number of locations attached to the record to the top of the list.)
• To have result list sorted in LC call number order: Choose “LC Call number/Title”
• To have result list sorted in Dewey call number order: Choose “Dewey Call number/Title”
• To have result list sorted in order according to your library’s call number: Choose “Local Call number/Title”
• To have result list sorted to place records with URLs in them at the top of the list: Choose “URL.”  (This will move records with URLs in them to the top of your results list.)

2.  Keyword Search:

Searches the catalog for any word or words entered.  A Boolean “AND” is assumed when more than one word is present.  (Red Sox will yield results as though “Red AND Sox” had been searched)

3.  Browse:

• Searches the catalog for author, title, subject, or for all headings as well as a variety of standard numbers (use the drop down menu to specify a type of search).
• Search using one or more terms, but remember each word is treated as a string of characters, not as individual words.
• When searching for author, use last name first.  (Woolf, Virginia not Virginia Woolf)
• Results are arranged in an alphabetical list beginning with the word(s) or number searched for.