Advanced Searching

With advanced searching, you can do a complex, focused keyword search, combining up to four search terms and selecting a search field for each one. You can set search options to limit an advanced search, and you can search multiple databases. You do not need to know any special commands to do advanced searching.

Advanced searching combines search terms with connector words called logical operators, or Boolean operators. The operators And, Or, and Not determine how the search terms are combined:

• And - Search results must match two search terms, the one before the operator and the one after the operator.

Example:
A search for Subject: planets And Author: Asimov finds only the works written by Asimov about planets. Any works about planets by other writers and any works by Asimov about other subjects are ignored.

• Or - Search results can match the search term before the operator, the search term after the operator, or both search terms.

Example:
A search that specifies Any field: planets Or Author: Asimov finds all works written by Asimov, as well as all works containing the word planets in any search field.These last works include titles by Isaac Asimov and titles by other authors.

• Not - Search results must match the search term before the operator, but not the search term after the operator.

Example:
A search that specifies Any field: planets Not Author: Asimov finds works containing the word planets in any search field, except works by Asimov.

Objective: Do an advanced search

With advanced searching, you can build a complex search and modify it by setting search options. Follow these steps to do an advanced search.

1. Select Search on the menu bar, and select Advanced from the submenu.

   The Advanced search bar appears.

2. If you want to find only a certain kind of material, click the arrow symbol in the Limit by box, and select an option from the list.

Example:
If you want to find only DVDs, select DVD in the Limit by list.

3. If you want to search a database other than the library, or select multiple databases to search, click Select Databases and choose the databases.

   For more information, see "Selecting Search Databases".

4. If you want to have the search results sorted by a category other than Most Popular, click the Sort by arrow symbol and select Author, Title, Call Number, or Publication Date.

   The Most Popular option sorts titles in the search results so that the titles most frequently checked out or requested over the past 120 days appear first in the list.

5. Click the first Any field arrow symbol, and select a search field from the list. For search field descriptions, see "Search for a keyword".
6. Type the search text in the empty box next to the first field, keeping in mind the following rules:
   • Polaris PowerPAC ignores letter case, multiple spaces, and punctuation. Omit hyphens in numbers.
   • You can input part of a word or number and use a wildcard character, such as * (refer to "Wildcard Characters").
7. Click the And arrow symbol, and select one of the following operators to combine the first term with the next term:
   • Select And to specify that the results must match both the first term and the next term.
   • Select Or to specify that the results must match the first term, or the second term, or both.
   • Select Not to specify that the results must match the first term, but must not match the second term.
8. Click the second Any field arrow symbol, select a search field from the list, and type the second term in the empty box next to the second field.

Note:
If you do not type any search terms, and just select an option in the Limit by box (see step 2), your results will include all the materials that fit your Limit by selection.

9. If you want to set another pair of search terms, repeat steps 3-6.

   When the search is launched, multiple search terms are processed in pairs; then the pairs are combined.

10. If you want to set limits on your search, you can scroll the page to use any or all of these search options:
    • Libraries
    • Publication dates
    • Detailed material types

Important:
"Detailed material types" are defined by the library for the physical items the library owns. The formats in the Limit by box on the search bar refer to general formats and types of materials associated with title entries in the catalog. You can limit a search by format or detailed material type, but not both. If you selected a format in the Limit by box when you set up your search, your format choice is canceled when you set a material type.

• Target audiences
• Languages
• Sorting

  For more information about these options, see "Setting Search Options".

Note:
If your library offers course reserves, you can also limit your search to materials reserved for courses. Click the Course Reserve Mode check box under Miscellaneous Options. For more information about course reserves, see "Finding Course Reserves".

11. Click Perform Search.

    When the search is finished, the search results list is displayed.

Important:
Search options retain the settings you make throughout your session, unless you reset them to the default values. The link Change Search Options on the search bar indicates that search options are set to values different from the default values.

12. To reset the search options to their default values, do one of the following actions:
    • Click Reset Search Options on the advanced search bar.
    • Click Change Search Options on the keyword or phrase search bar, and click Reset Search Options.

Related Topics

• Search tips - If your search produces no results, or unexpected results, see "Search Tips".
• Working with results - For information about using the results, see the following topics:
  • Navigate the results list, view more information about the titles - "Viewing Search Results"
  • Add a title to a title list - "Working with Title Lists"
  • Request or purchase a title - "Obtaining Materials"
  • Save the search to run automatically - "Automating Searches"