Quick search - Thorncat defaults to the Quick Search option - entering any 2 characters performs a keyword search in every field for every record in Thorncat.
Thorncat will automatically perform a truncated search. Select from Title, Subject or Author to narrow your search to a particular field. Example: "hor" will bring up records with the words "horror", "horses," or "horticulture."
Phrase searching - Thorncat will look for an exact phrase enclosed in quotation marks, for example "little red riding hood."
Spell check - Thorncat has automatic spell check. Misspellings are highlighted in red.
Changing collections - Audio visual equipment in general is in the AV Collection accessed by the "Change Collection" tab at the top right of the search screen. Choose Audio Visual Equipment and select. Be sure to change back to Thorndike Library to search the library and archive collections.
Advanced search - Advanced search allows more specific searching. For example, to find periodicals, cds, videos, audio-visual equipment, etc., select the "call number" option from the drop down index list to the right of the search term box and enter a call number code.
Advanced search also allows combining terms with 'and', 'or', or 'not' to further refine a search.
To have an exact search and fewer results, turn off the truncation by using a period after a search term. For example, "new." will bring up Guide to new age living or New Republic rather than "Newton" and Newsweek.
To search for a range use ".. " - For example, a search term of "1994..2001" limited by Date of Publication, tells Thorncat to find items published between the years 1994 and 2001. Thorncat can also specify an open-ended range. For example, to find items published before 1994 use a search term ".. 1994", and after 1994, use "1994.."
Quick Search or Advanced Search gives you a list of results with the call number of the items and indicates whether the items are currently checked out. If there are letters in front of the call number, books and materials may be found in other places besides the general stacks area. The call number location codes also designate type of material.
Locations/Call number codes
ATLAS - The large atlases are located on an atlas table in between the left side reference shelves.
CD - These are compact discs. The browsers for these are located in the stacks to the left. Bring the browser to the library staff, and they will retrieve the CD for you.
LANG TAPE - These are analog & digital audio courses of foreign language instruction, located on the right side of the stacks.
AUDIO - These are books-on-tape, located at the beginning of the stacks on the right side.
SEN PROJ COLL - This is the senior project collection, located in the archives. Please see library staff in order to access.
EBOOK - This is an item in COA's electronic book collection which is accessed through Thorncat.
COA COLL - This is from the COA Collection; materials are located behind the oversized books on the right side of the stacks.
FOLIO - These are "Over"-oversized books, located at the end of the oversized books on the right hand side of the stacks.
GOV DOC - These are Government Documents; ask a staff member as these are being integrated into the regular collection.
O/S - These are Oversized books, which are located at the beginning of the stacks on the right hand side.
PERIOD COLL - This is our collection of periodicals (newspapers, newsletters, journals and magazines), located on the right in the stacks.
REF - These are any of the reference items, which are located in the Reading Room.
RES - These are the reserve materials, located on the shelves in the lobby.
SCI FI - These are science fiction paperbacks. They are located in the wire stands to the right in the stacks.
VIDEO - This refers to our collection of videos or DVD's, which are located at the end of the stacks on the right.
For further search help, click on the Help question mark icon in the upper right of the page. |
