16bf WorldCat (OCLC) Database Guide NOTE: Use of this database is limited to valid patrons of OhioLINK member institutions. WHAT IS WORLDCAT? WorldCat (OCLC), the OCLC union catalog, contains cataloging records to more than 30 million items held at libraries around the world. It covers thousands of subjects and includes records for items dating as far back as 1000 A.D. You can locate a range of materials including: books computer data files computer programs films journals magazines manuscripts musical scores newspapers slides sound recordings videotape WorldCat does not include individual articles, stories in journals, magazines, newspapers, or book chapters. It is updated daily. 1. Access WorldCat from your local library system, or, using your campus network, telnet to OhioLINK: telnet cat.ohiolink.edu Login: ohiolink 2. At the OhioLINK main menu, select: Research Databases select: General Interest select: WorldCat BEGINNING A SEARCH To begin, decide what kind of search you want to make, i.e., author, title, subject, etc. Observe the on-screen examples for entering searches. At the prompt, type in your search. EXAMPLE SEARCH ENTRIES AT THE MAIN SEARCH SCREEN: burial mounds (subject search) su:shinto (subject search) au:amnesty international au:MGM (corporation as author) ti:four seasons (words in the title) wordlist au:MGM (locate MGM in the database's list of authors) sh:ohio and sh:gambling (controlled subject headings) ti=war *and: peace (exact title -- use *:around and, not, n, w) su:movie+ (use *+: to include plurals (s and es and possessives) au:joyce and ti:ulysses (use *and: to combine searches) MAIN SEARCH SCREEN ______________________________________________________________________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Search * * * * * * * * * * * * * DATABASE: WorldCat __SEARCH______DESCRIPTION_______________________________EXAMPLES______ | | Subject Type the label SU: and a word(s). su:criticism | (Subject headings and titles su:freedom of speech | Author Type the label AU: and the author au:hemingway | name or any part of the name. au:saul bellow | Title Type the label TI: and the title ti:estuary | or any word(s) in the title. ti:love in the asylum |______________________________________________________________________ HINTS: Other ways to search . . . . . type H LABELS. Include plural(s and es)or possessive.. type + at end of word. Return to Database Selection screen . . . just press Enter. ACTIONS: Help Limit Database Wordlist BYE Reset SEARCH WORD(S) (or Action): _______________________________________________________________________ BASIC WORLDCAT COMMANDS A Combine searches au: Author search Bye Exit WorldCat H Get Help information L Limit P Begin print process R Reset to Welcome Screen S Start a new search su: Subject search ti: Title search W Look up words in the Wordlist HINT: In WorldCat, commands are called *actions.: Use the first letter of the action and press . You can find other search commands by typing *h WorldCat labels:. USING SEARCH RESULTS Search results are listed in the order they were added to the WorldCat database, NOT in chronological or reverse-chronological order. Several *Actions: become available to you on the search result screen. In addition to *Limit,: you can use *And,: *Print,: and *Forward/Back,: and you can view individual records. VIEWING A RECORD To view a record, type in its number. Use *f: for forward and *b: for backward to page through the record. To return to the *List of Records: screen, press . You cannot start a new search from the *List of Records: screen. Type or *Search: to return to the main search screen. WORDLIST The *Wordlist: command is a useful way to check spelling and to see alternative ways to enter a search term. To check a term in the wordlist: SEARCH WORD(S) (or Action): wordlist su:paleontology COMBINING SEARCHES To combine searches, use the *And: command. For example, to find records with BOTH *Ulysses: as the title and *Joyce: as the author: 1. SEARCH WORD(S) (or Action): au:joyce 2. and 3. ti:ulysses or simply type the entire phrase: SEARCH WORD(S)(or Action): au:joyce and ti:ulysses NARROWING A SEARCH You can narrow a search using *Not: to exclude terms. For example, to find all records about Exxon Corporation, excluding the Valdez oil spill: SEARCH WORD(S) (or Action): su:exxon not su:oil spill not su:valdez LIMITING In WorldCat, you can limit a search result by year of publication, type of publication, or language. Press *L: then . Select a limit category and enter the limit information. Press *Y: when you are ready to apply the limit. Repeat the process to apply additional limits. PRINTING There are two print methods depending on the system you are using: 1) Attached-printer printing and 2) Workstation downloading. Method 1) Press

and select records to print. Turn ON continuous printing on the attached printer and press . Be sure to turn continuous printing OFF when you are finished. Method 2) Press

and select records to print. Turn ON your capture software and press . LOCATING ITEMS FROM YOUR SEARCH To locate an item, print or note the citation and holdings information (listed at the end of the record) and consult library staff. Written/compiled by Elizabeth Timmons, Director of Publications, OhioLINK For more information, info@ohiolink.edu Copyright 1994 Wright State University . 0