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  Carthage Library Koha On-line Catalog

The Carthage catalog can help you find the following materials in our collection:

Get started: Go to the main Hedberg Library home page at http://www.carthage.edu/library.  Look at the Left-hand menu and choose FIND BOOKS.
Choose the Carthage catalog link on this page.

Basic Keyword Search

A keyword search allows you to search the entire catalog for information, instead of just searching for a specific subject, author, or title.This is the type of search that will result if you enter your terms in the main search box.

A few tips when doing a keyword search:

Do not type something like "I need information on the economy in China".

Instead, in the search box, type the words that you think exist in the title or subject of the item.Some examples might be:

Interpreting the Results

You may be surprised with the results that are returned.In the first two examples, above, the more useful items are fairly far down on the list.Keep in mind the following as you look at the results list:

  •  While most search engines (e.g. Google) use an algorithm to assess relevance (which of the returned results BEST match the selection criteria,) most library catalog software does not.Instead, all of the items that match the selection criteria are displayed beginning with the most recently published.You can change the order of the results as explained later in this document.

  •  If you enter multiple search terms as shown in the examples above, any record that has BOTH words ANYWHERE in the record will match the query and be displayed. Adjacency (two words next to each other) is not used, and adding quotation marks around the two words does not help. 

After you do your search, look at the right part of the screen and you will see how you can change it the order of the results from date-sorted to alphabetical, popularity, etc.

Keyword Search Limits

It is sometimes helpful to limit your keyword to a specific language, format, or location.
Here are a few search limits that you will find helpful:

Video and DVDs: Use the word "videorecording" For example: Civil War and videorecording

Music CDs: Use the word "sound recording". For example, Gospel and sound recording

Using Advanced Search Features

The Koha Catalog has an advanced search screen that appears to give the users more options. Due to a programming error, some of these options do not work:

• You cannot use any current limiters, fiction, reference, not fiction
• Searching by language does not work
• Searching by series title (journal or periodical) does not work

 Using the Subject Headings of an Item  

Once you find a great resource you may want to look at how it is indexed. These are often called subject headings or descriptors, and catalogs use them to relate similar items together. Take the subject heading from a good resource you find to help you find other related resources.Consider our French poetry example, above.Once you find an i tem that really deals with French poetry, and click on it.Within the record, you will see the subject heading links
Related Subjects: (French poetry -- 20th century -- Translations into English and French poetry)Select and click either one of those.Other resources (books, etc.) with that subject heading will be displayed.

These subjects headings are often interchangeable between databases and can save you time when having to do similar searches in other databases.

Accessing Electronic Books on NetLibrary & Electronic Journals

Some results in the list of the Carthage catalog may show that this book or journal is available electronically. When you click on the record from the results list, you may see the following active link:

Online Resources: An electronic book accessible through the World Wide Web; click for information[electronic resource]

Online Resources: Click here to access online

These links allow you to view the ebook or electronic journal. If you want to view any book from Netlibrary from off campus, you must create an account through Netlibrary while on campus. The directions are here.

Finding an Item in the Collection

Items found in the Carthage Catalog can be found in these areas of the library:

What if you cannot find the item on the shelf?

If you cannot find the item on the shelf ask for assistance at the circulation desk. Is the item at circulation waiting to be re-shelved? Is it in processing in technical services? If the item cannot be located, please have them fill out the search request form at the circulation desk. It is extremely important to make sure that lost items are replaced or updated, as students depend on that information to complete their research project.

Using the Cart 

You can add items to your "cart" in the library catalog as you search to create a list that you can later print out.

Your Account and Creating Lists  

Logging into your library account allows you update contact information or to renew items and create lists. A list is similar to the cart, except that it will be permanent until you delete it.