1.Search the Library Catalog by Title:
Leave off the leading articles in a title. For example, type slang dictionary to find the slang dictionary:
Note the item location and call number. Then, check a printed stack guide, or the online floor directories, to locate the item in the library stacks.
There are 3 size sections for each call number range in Olin. Oversize books include 2 pluses with the call number (++), the next size down has one plus (+) with the call number, the regular size books do not have a plus sign with the call number.. The call number above has no pluses, so it will be shelved in the regular-size section.
To find related titles, open the Long View of the record and click on the Subject Heading links .
Clicking on the Subject Heading link, retrieves 99 additional titles.
2. Search the Library Catalog by Guided Keyword:
The Guided Keyword search is another approach to finding materials on a topic.
From the Library Gateway, select the Library Catalog
In the Library Catalog, select the Guided Keyword search
Enter terms that describe your topic
Combine search terms by using the pull-down menus to search all of a given set of terms [all of these], or any of a given set of terms [any of these], or to search for your terms [as a phrase].
Search for variant endings by truncating terms with a ? mark. (example: use dictionar? to pick up dictionary or dictionaries)
Once you have found some promising titles, open the Long View of the record to see the Subject Heading links. Click on these Subject Heading links to find related titles.
Okay, this is a fairly complex search, but it demonstrates a very powerful way
to search the catalog.
We're looking for some books on the english language, with either the word changing or possibly the term evolution or evolving (evolv?). I used the pull-down menu to choose [any of these]. Then, I threw in the term American? to narrow the search to those books that discuss American english. This search helped me to find titles like: New Words and a Changing American Culture.
3. Search the Library Catalog by LC Subject Headings
As outlined above, one way to identify useful Subject Headings is to start by searching a known title or by using a Guided Keyword search. Once you have a record for an item of interest, open the Long View of relevant titles to view the subject headings.
3. Search the Library Catalog by Library of Congress Subject Heading:
The Cornell University Library uses Library of Congress subject headings as the standard for subject searching. Unlike searching by keyword, where any term or wording of a topic can be entered into the computer, subject searching requires you to use the exact wording of an official Library of Congress subject heading in order to retrieve search results. These can be quite arbitrary and it takes some practice to anticipate whether a heading might be inverted or how it might be subdivided:
English language--Slang--Dictionaries. for a dictionary of English slang
Swearing--History. for a history of profanity
Middle Atlantic States--Languages--Maps. for a linguistic atlas (note: doesn't mention the language or country) but then:
Note the item location and call number. Then, check a printed stack guide, or the online floor directories, to locate the item in the library stacks.
There are 3 size sections for each call number range in Olin. Oversize books include 2 pluses with the call number (++), the next size down has one plus (+) with the call number, the regular size books do not have a plus sign with the call number.. The call number above has no pluses, so it will be shelved in the regular-size section.
If the Cornell library doesn't have the item you need:
| Borrow Direct Interlibrary Loan Services If a title you need is currently charged to another user, try BorrowDirect or place a recall on the item. |
Lynn Thitchener
2/6/2006