Boolean Searching

A Boolean search lets you do complex, precise searches by writing CCL (Common Command Language) search statements. Polaris automatically inputs the search command FIND, and you type what to find in the Boolean search bar.

The search expression you type can include the following parts:

• The text for which you are searching
• The access points (fields) you want to search; for example, author or title (see "Boolean Search Access Points")
• Operators that link one search expression with another

Example:
To find the works of author Asimov published in or after 1970, you type the following command:
AU=asimov AND PD >= 1970
AU specifies the access point Author. The search text for this access point is asimov. AND is the Boolean operator connecting the two conditions of this search (the author and the date). PD specifies the access point Publication Date. The search text for this access point is 1970. The symbol >= stands for the relative operator greater than or equal to.

CCL Operators

CCL operators include Boolean (logical) and relative operators. Use the operators to combine search terms.

Tip:
Advanced searching also offers Boolean operators which you can use without typing the CCL command statement. See "Advanced Searching".

Boolean Operators

The Boolean operators And, Or, and Not logically combine search terms:

• And - A record must match both the term before and the term after the operator to be included in the search results.

Example:
AU=isaac asimov AND TI=planets
Finds only the items written by Isaac Asimov that have the word planets in the title.

• Or - A record can match either the term before or the term after the operator, or both, to be included in the search results.

Example:
AU=isaac asimov OR TI=planets
Finds all items written by Isaac Asimov and all items with the word planets in the title by any author, including Asimov.

• Not - A record must match the term before the operator, but not the term after the operator, to be included in the search results.

Example:
AU=isaac asimov NOT TI=planets
Finds only those items written by Isaac Asimov that do not have the word planets in the title.

You may build a more complex search using the Boolean operators. If you use multiple operators in the same query, use parentheses to group the operations to be performed.

Note:
To search for text that includes an operator or special character as part of the search text, you must put the text in quotation marks. For example, to find the title Bud, Not Buddy, you type this command:
TI = "bud not buddy"

Relative Operators

The relative operators include the following symbols for comparing search terms:

Symbol	Relative Operation
=	Equal to search term
<>	Not equal to a single search term: PD <> 1970 For a range of dates, use NOT: NOT PD = 1970-1980.
>=	Greater than or equal to search term
>	Greater than search term
<=	Less than or equal to search term
<	Less than search term

Example:
PD >= 1987
This example finds items published in or after 1987. PD specifies the publication date access point. See "Boolean Search Access Points" for a table of access point codes.

Example:
KW=solar system AND PD < 1932
This example finds items published before 1932 that have the words "solar system" in any record field. KW specifies the keyword access point. See "Boolean Search Access Points" for a table of access point codes.

Boolean Search Access Points

The following table lists the Boolean search access points:

Access Point	Description
AB	Assigned branch (library-specific)
AU	Author
CALL	Call number
CODEN	Identifier for scientific and technical periodicals
COL	Collection (library-specific)
DD	Dewey classification
FO	Format (see "Format")
GENRE	Genre
GOV	Superintendent of Documents classification number for government documents
ISBN	International Standard Book Number
ISSN	International Standard Serial Number
KW	Keyword (any field)
LA	Language (see "Languages")
LC	Library of Congress classification
LCCN	Library of Congress Control Number
MAT	Material type of physical items (library-specific)
NAL	National Agricultural Library classification
NLC	National Library of Canada classification
NLM	National Library of Medicine classification
NOTE	General notes
OCN	Other system control number (library-specific)
OWN	Record owner (library-specific)
PD	Publication date
PN	Publisher's number
PUB	Publisher
SE	Series
STATB	Record status (library-specific)
STRN	Standard Technical Report Number
SU	Subject
TA	Target audience (see "Target Audiences")
TI	Title
TOM	Format/Type of Material (see "Format/Type of Material")
UDC	Universal Decimal classification

Languages

The following table lists some common codes to use as terms for the language access point (LA) in a Boolean (CCL) search. You must use the code, not the language name. For example, to specify English, type LA=ENG.

Note:
You can see a complete list of language codes at the Library of Congress Web site:
www.loc.gov/marc/languages

Language	Code	Language	Code
Arabic	ARA	Korean	KOR
Bosnian	BOS	Latin	LAT
Chinese	CHI	Multiple Languages	MUL
Czech	CZE	Polish	POL
Danish	DAN	Portuguese	POR
Dutch	DUT	Romanian	RUM
English	ENG	Russian	RUS
French	FRE	Serbian	SCC
German	GER	Sign	SGN
Modern Greek	GRE	Spanish	SPA
Hebrew	HEB	Ukrainian	UKR
Hindi	HIN	Vietnamese	VIE
Italian	ITA	Yiddish	YID
Japanese	JPN

Target Audiences

The following table lists the codes to use with the target audience (TA) access point in a Boolean (CCL) search. You must use the code, not the target audience name. For example, to specify a preschool audience, type TA=a.

Note:
Not all bibliographic records include target audience information.

Target Audience	Code
Preschool	a
Primary school	b
Elementary and junior high school	c
Secondary (senior high) school	d
Adult	e
Specialized	f
General	g
Juvenile	j

Format

The following table lists the codes to use with the Format access point (FO) in a Boolean (CCL) search. You must use the format code, not the format name. For example, to specify archival material, you type FO=ARC.

Note:
This access point returns only a limited number of formats, and applies primarily to older versions of Polaris PowerPAC. For a more useful search, use the format/type of material access point (TOM=). See "Format/Type of Material".

Format	Code	Format	Code
Archival Material	ARC	Mixed Material	MIX
Art, Picture, Flash Cards	ART	Realia, Toy, Sculpture, Equipment	REA
Book	BK	Score	SCO
Computer Software	COM	Score (Manuscript)	SCOM
Kit	KIT	Serial	SER
Manuscript	MAN	Sound Recording (Musical)	SRM
Map	MAP	Sound Recording (Non-Musical)	SRN
Map (Manuscript)	MAPM	Video, Film	VID

Format/Type of Material

The following table lists the codes to use with the Type of Material access point (TOM) in a Boolean (CCL) search. You must use the format/type of material code, not the name. For example, to specify DVDs, you type TOM=DVD.

Format/Type of Material	Code	Format/Type of Material	Code
Audio books	abk	Music CD	mcd
Book	bks	Musical sound recording	msr
Braille	brl	Newspaper	new
Cartographic material	cmt	Nonmusical sound recording	nsr
DVD	dvd	Periodical	per
Ebooks	ebk	Printed cartographic material	pcm
Electronic resources	eir	Printed music	pmu
Globe	glb	Printed or manuscript music	mus
Kit	kit	Projected medium	pgr
Large print	lpt	Serial	ser
Manuscript cartographic material	mcm	Sound recording	rec
Manuscript material	mss	Three-dimensional object	art
Manuscript music	mmu	Two-dimensional nonprojected graphic	ngr
Map	map	Videorecording	vid
Microform	mic	Videotape	vcr
Mixed materials	mix	Visual materials	vis
Motion picture	mot

Objective: Do a search by typing a command

Follow these steps to search by typing a Common Command Language (CCL) command.

Note:
For more information about Common Command Language, see "CCL Operators" and "Boolean Search Access Points".

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

   The Boolean search bar appears.

2. 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.

Note:
You can have search results sorted by two categories by setting search options. For more information, see "Setting Search Options".

3. If you want to set databases to search, click Select Databases, and select databases to search (see "Search multiple databases").
4. Type the CCL command in the Boolean search for box, keeping the following tips in mind:
   • Polaris ignores letter case.
   • You can type part of a word and use a wildcard character (refer to "Wildcard Characters").
   • Use parentheses to group search terms.

Example:
The following command finds works of the author Asimov which have titles with the word foundation, except audio books published after 1990:
(AU=asimov AND TI=foundation) NOT (TOM=abk and PD>1990)
Terms inside the parentheses are processed first, then the entire statement.

• To include stop words such as articles and prepositions, punctuation such as a hyphen or a question mark, or command words such as Boolean operators in the search text, place the search text in quotation marks.

Example:
To find the title Bud, Not Buddy, you type the following command:
TI = "bud not buddy"

For more information about stop words, see "Stop Words".

5. Click Go.

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

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"