Help Center

Searching

Type the keyword you want to find.

For example:

  • evidence based medicine
  • history of world war II
  • frida kahlo
Search Tips
Truncation Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters to expand a search.

Examples

environment* retrieves environment, environments, environmental, environmentalism, environmentalist
Try it: environment*

tattoo* retrieves tattoo, tattoos, tattooed, tattooing, tattooists
Try it: tattoo*

You may use the asterisk ('*') to replace a single or multiple character(s) anywhere within a word.

Examples

wom*n retrieves woman, women, womyn...
Try it: wom*n

sw*m retrieves swim, swam, swarm
Try it: sw*m
Boolean Operators

Use "and" or "or" to combine multiple words in any field, any order.

Examples:

stocks and bonds, alaska or canada
Try it: stocks and bonds
Try it: alaska or canada

Use "and not" to exclude words.

Examples:

adventure and not vacation, dreams and not sleep, stocks and not bonds
Try it: adventure and not vacation
Try it: dreams and not sleep
Try it: stocks and not bonds

Form complex searches by grouping Boolean Operators.

Examples:

(alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Try it: (alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Field limits

A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s). To use field limits, you need to use the Advanced Search option, or choose "Modify your Search" once you have searched.
In Advanced Search, field limits may be specified by selecting a field limit from the selection list. These limits appear before the word or phrase to be searched.

Field Limits and their meanings:

  • Author: Search only author fields
  • Title: Search only title fields
  • Subject: Search only subject fields
  • Note: Search only note fields
  • Subject: Search only subject fields

Examples:

Search for your item, then choose "Modify Search" to limit to a location, material type, or language.
Example showing the Modify Search link above the search box.

Select your limits and click the Submit button.
Example showing the limits available.

You will now get a modified search limited to the limit you chose.
Example showing the limited search
Grouping Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

Examples:

Most relevant Most relevant titles 

Highly relevant Highly relevant titles 

Very relevant Very relevant titles 

Relevant Relevant titles 

Other relevant Other relevant titles 

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Multiple Word/Phrase Searching

Multiple Words

When searching multiple words the system will automatically supply the Boolean "and" operator between each word; multiple words entered for the search will all occur somewhere in the retrieved records though not necessarily in the order entered. Both examples below will retrieve the same results.

Examples

Using multiple words:
Try it: university science department
Try it: university and science and department

Phrase Searches

Search for complete phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes will appear together in all results exactly as typed.

Examples

A phrase search:
Try it: "university science department"
Try it: "information science"

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Saving your searches

If you have a favorite author or topic for which you often search when using the catalog, you can save the search in your library account. This will prevent you from having to repeat the same search every time you are looking for something on that topic.

How to:

  1. Log in to My Library Record by entering your first and last name, and then your Carroll ID number.
    Example of the My Library Account link in the upper right hand corner.

    Example of logging into My Library Record
  2. Click on the "New Search" button in the upper right hand menu.
    Example of the New Search button in the upper right hand menu.
  3. Search for your favorite author, subject, title, etc. or create an advanced keyword search including limits to material type, language, publication year, etc..
  4. When your results are displayed, click the button marked "Save this search".
    Example of the Save This Search button.
  5. The next time that you log in to your My Millennium Account, you can click the "Preferred Searches" button to see a list of your saved searches.
    Example of the Preferred Searches link in My Library Record
  6. Click on the search link associated with any of the preferred search terms in the list to quickly execute your search.
    Example of how to search preferred searches.
  7. You can be alerted of new materials added to the library collection which match your searches. Just check the "Mark for E-mail" box and you will get e-mail when new items are added to the library's collection that match your searches.
    Example of how to email preferred searches.

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Status of Items

  1. Check Shelf - this item is on the shelf
  2. Lib Use Only - for use inside the library only
  3. On Display - this item is in the library display case - ask library staff
  4. New Books - this item is on the New Books tower in the lobby
  5. Coffee Shop - this item is housed in the Coffee Shop - ask library staff
  6. Billed - this item is very overdue and the patron has been billed for it - ask library staff
  7. Lost and Paid - item is not available because a patron lost it - ask library staff
  8. Missing - item is lost or missing - ask library staff
  9. Cataloging - this item was recently purchased and is in cataloging - ask library staff
  10. YBP in Process - this item was recently purchased and is in cataloging - ask library staff
  11. YBP Backorder - this item was recently purchased and is backordered - ask library staff
  12. LC Use Only - this item is for use by tutors
  13. On Holdshelf - item is ready to fill a hold

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Renewals

Library patrons may renew their own materials online. All material may be renewed except for reserves items. Patrons can only renew items one time.

How to:

  1. Log in to My Library Record by entering your first and last name, and then your Carroll ID number.
    Example of the My Library Account link in the upper right hand corner.

    Example of logging into My Library Record
  2. Select the materials you want to renew by checking the boxes in the RENEW column and then click the Renew Selected button. If you want to renew everything, click the Renew ALL button.
    Example of how to renew checked out items online.
  3. If you cannot renew items, a message will appear on the screen. If you are successful, a new due date will appear in the "STATUS" column. Always check the STATUS column for information on the success or failure of your renewal.
    4. Example of possible renewal messages

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Library Fines

You can pay your library fines at the main circulation desk during normal library hours.

In addition to checking your Carroll e-mail account for overdue notices, you can check your online library account to see if you have any outstanding fines and overdue items.

How to:

  1. Log in to My Library Record by entering your first and last name, and then your Carroll ID number.
    Example of the My Library Account link in the upper right hand corner.

    Example of logging into My Library Record
  2. Fines appear in two places. Previously accrued fines will be under "unpaid fines and bills" on the left hand menu. These are outstanding fines or bills that you have already accrued. Overdue items with fines that are still accruing are not included in this amount, and those can be viewed in the checked out items area with the overdue date and the current fine amount. Once you return that overdue item, that fine will be added into your current fines for payment.
    3. Example of where to look for fines in your library account
  3. The Carroll Library currently accepts cash, check, and Carroll Cash as payment for library fines at the library's main circulation desk during normal library hours.

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Using the Bag Feature

To add titles to a temporary list, use the bag feature. This feature is designed to help you export a list of titles, or to place multiple holds at one time.

NOTE: Items saved in your bag will not be retained once you end your session. To save items permanently, View Bag and click Add to My Lists.

How to:

  1. Select individual items by marking the checkbox on the left hand side of the screen, then click the Add Marked to Bag link near the top of your list. You can also add everything on the page at once by clicking the Add All On Page link.
    2. Example of how to add things to your library bag
  2. Once you add items to a bag, additional icons for viewing the items in your bag will appear above the search box.
    Example of bag icons
  3. To see the contents of your bag, click the View Bag link.
  4. To empty the bag, click the Empty Bag link.
  5. Once you are at the View Bag screen, you can do a number of things:
  • To remove individual items from the bag, mark the checkbox for that title and click Delete Selected.
  • To email yourself or someone else the list of items you saved, enter your email address and click the Submit button.
  • To view the list on the screen, select the Screen option and click the Submit button.
  • To export the list as a .txt file, select the Local Disc option and click the Submit button.
    Example of the View Bag screen

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Reading History

My Reading History is a feature that allows you to save a list of everything that you check out from the library. This is an "opt in" feature, meaning that the library will only keep a Reading History if you have elected to participate in the service. Library patrons need to be aware that using My Reading History means this information is being stored on the library's server. If we are served with a subpoena, Reading History information might have to be surrendered to law enforcement officials.

How to:

  1. Log in to My Library Record by entering your first and last name, and then your Carroll ID number.
  2. Click on the Reading History button on the right hand side of the screen.
    Example of Reading History
  3. If you have already enabled Reading History, you will see a list of your reading history. If you have not, you will get a button allowing you to Opt In.
    Example of opting in to reading history
  4. Once you have opted in, all your checked out items will be recorded in your reading history, and you can view them from the Reading History link in your library record. You can opt out any time, but you must first delete your reading history before opting out.
    Example of items in a reading history list

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Tags (LibraryThing)

What are tags? Tags, or tag clouds, are keywords or labels used to categorize books in the library catalog. Tags are viewable within the full catalog record of many library titles. Not all library records have tags.

Where do tags come from? The tags in the Carroll Library Catalog come from LibraryThing, a book cataloging site that features a database over 25 million books. Public members of LibraryThing assign keyword tags to materials describing their content. On occasion, you will run across a tag that's irrelevant or not quite 'right.' The variation in tag font and font size reflects how many LibraryThing members have chosen to assign that particular tag to a title.

What do I do with tags? Tags simply provide more information, indicating what the title is about. Clicking on a tag is just another way to locate materials in the library catalog. When you click on an individual tag, you link back to other Carroll Library records that feature that same keyword tag. You do not link to an outside web site.

Tags are not keyword searchable in the catalog. You can click on any tag found in a library record to browse all other titles in the Carroll Library catalog that have the same tag. After clicking on a tag, you can use the search feature available within the LibraryThing popup box (Tag Browser) to enter in tags. Enter in a word or phrase into the search box in the upper-right corner of the Tag Browser.

How to:

  1. Click on a tag in a library record. They are located near the bottom of the screen, under the static URL link.
    Image of LibraryThing tags in a record
  2. You get a pop up window called the Tag Browser.
    LibraryThing tag browser example
  3. You can now type in a new keyword to search in the upper right hand box, or click on any of the titles that came up in the box- these are titles that the Carroll Library holds that have the same LibraryThing tag.
  4. The Tag Brower also shows you related tags to the one you selected, and you can click on any of those, as well as all the tags for the item you were originally looking at.
  5. To exit out of the tag browser, click the Close button in the upper right hand corner.

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Similar Books (LibraryThing)

In addition to tags, LibraryThing also provides links to Similar Books. When you view the bibliographic information for many books in the library catalog, you can see a list of similar books under the tags. These comparisons are made by public members of LibraryThing.

How to:

  1. Click on a book title listed under the heading Similar Books in a library record. They are located near the bottom of the screen, under the static URL link.
    Image of the LibraryThing Similar Books display
  2. Clicking on that book title takes you to that book in the Carroll Library catalog. Similar titles will only display for items that the library owns.

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Awards (LibraryThing)

In addition to tags, LibraryThing also provides links to award winning books. This is not a comprehensive list of books with awards. These awards tags are made by public members of LibraryThing. When you view the bibliographic information for many books in the library catalog, you can see a list of awards for books under the tags.

How to:

  1. Click on a book title listed under the heading Awards in a library record. They are located near the bottom of the screen, under the static URL link.
    Image of LibraryThing awards
  2. You get a pop up window called the Awards Browser.
    Image for the awards browser from LibraryThing
  3. The books with the awards tags that the Carroll Library owns will be hyperlinked in blue- clicking on those links takes you to that book.
  4. Books that appear grayed-out are books that have been tagged with that particular award but the library does not own them.

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