Search Training Now Available

A Catalog Search Training module is now available for booking!  Contact Sharon.

The ‘pilot’ took place yesterday at the Bonner Springs City Library and was broken into two one-hour sessions.

Agenda (with the majority of what I’d be saying at the training included):

  • Definitions – Simple search, Advanced Search, Staff client, OPAC or Public catalog, and Keyword (Zebra) searching
    • Koha uses the open source Zebra software search and retrieve queries from a keyword search.
  • Simple Search options in the OPAC - Keyword (Library Catalog), Title, Author, Subject, ISBN, Series or Call Number
    • Keyword searches are the most forgiving of spelling errors.  All other searches (Author, title, subject) are ‘exact’ searches.
  • Advanced Search options in the OPAC
    • Multiple field searches with default boolean of “And” (Add more by clicking +)
    • Additional MARC field search criteria, including publisher, standard number and notes
    • Limit by location and availability
    • Determine relevancy sort (Date, Author A-Z/Z-A, Title A-Z/Z-A, etc.)
  • Simple Search options in the Staff Client
  • Advanced Search options in the Staff Client
    • More Boolean options (And | Or | Not)
      Example: Say you wanted to find an item by someone named “king” who wrote something called “carrie” and you don’t want to sift through any bloody horror books/movies.  You can search for
      Keyword: Carrie AND Author: King NOT Keyword: Stephen
    • Limit by Collection Code - Selected CCode over Item Type
      Which is more valuable to a patron, to search for a Book on CD or an Audiobook?  Would they rather look for a VHS or DVD or just a Movie?
    • Limit by Years and Language
    • Subtype limits based on MARC record (More information from the Koha Manual)
    • Also limit by location and availability and determine the sort of the search results
  • Limit by Library Code – Include in a Simple Search :: ATCHISON, BONNERSPGS, NORTONVLLE, OTTAWA, etc.
  • Using the WILDCARD character – % – A wildcard is a substitute for letters or numbers
    Example, search for “King, Ste%” to find Steven or Stephan or “Qui%” for books by Quinn or Quick
  • Call Number searching – Most libraries have unique, distinctive call number schemes that often indicate collections and locations within the library.  These prefixes can be used as a keyword in a Simple Search.
    Example: FRPB Qui% would find paperback romance books by authors Quinn and Quick at Bonner Springs
    EB Boy% tonganoxie (not case sensitive) would find materials with “EB” and “Boy%” and tonganoxie in the catalog record, including Sandra Boynton Board Books at Tonganoxie Public Library, such as Moo, Baa, La, La, La!
  • Why MARC matters – Searching relies on information pulled from the Bibliographic record and Item records.
    • Fixed Field information – the Subtype Limits in the Advanced Search in the Staff Client pull from here
    • 2XX – Title and author information
    • 4XX/8XX – Series information (sketchy and unreliable) – Use NoveList or Amazon
    • 6XX – Subject headings – Want Greek cookbooks?  Look for “Cookery, Greek”
  • Tips for getting more out of the Simple Search
    • Include the branchcode, ex. BONNERSPGS – pulls your materials to the top of the results list
    • Include the call number prefix to help limit the results
    • Include Collection Codes, Item Types and Location codes to limit:
      • BOOKONCD for Audiobooks on CD
      • BOARDBK for Board Books
      • NONFICTION for Non-fiction
      • INSPRATION for Inspirational fiction – Even if your library doesn’t use a Collection Code, other libraries do and including the CCode can help limit the search results
      • SF-FANT | PAPERBACK | EASY | DVD | GRAPHIC | LARGEPRINT, etc.
      • LOCALHOLD1 item type for a Local Hold Only Movie
      • YOUNGADULT shelving location code to limit to YA materials
  • Strategies
    • Begin b r o a d, then narrow
      • Start with a keyword search, then find and use the exact subject headings, names, etc.
    • Start with what you DO know and use the Wildcard % for what you DON’T know, ex. Grish% for Grisham/Grishim
    • Know where to look for what you need
      • NoveList for Series information
      • Amazon to help with correct spellings (Zebra indexing in Koha is good, but Amazon’s search is better)
    • Let the Catalog do the searching for you
      • On the Search Results list, use the highlighted/hyperlinked Call Numbers to do ‘exact’ call number searches
      • On the Detailed View of a record, use the highlighted/hyperlinked Subject Headings, Author Name, and publisher to do further searching with one click!
      • NOTE:  For now, subtitles DO display in the Public Catalog (OPAC), but NOT in the Staff Client.  So to find that Go, Diego, Go! video your patron wants, search in the OPAC.
  • Fun Search Scenarios:
    • What YuYu’s you you have? Uh, yeah, it’s a graphic novel.
      • bonnerspgs graphic – 307 results
      • bonnerspgs graphic YAGN – 238 results
      • yuyu – 93 results
      • bonnerspgs yuyu – 20 results
      • bonnerspgs graphic YAGN yuyu – 16 results
    • I’m trying to get excited about this trip I’m taking, can you help me find something to listen to in my car about travel?  Oh, I have a CD player.
      • bookoncd travel basehor – 72 results, including Bill Bryson!
    • I want the newest Naruto.  Do you have it?  If not, I still want it.
      • START AT NoveList
        > Search for Naruto
        > Sort results “Date Descending”
        > Scan the results
        > On page 2, you should find the latest: vol. 44, “Senjutsu Heir”
      • Hardest: Search for “Naruto” > sort by publication date
      • Medium: Search for “Naruto vol. 44″
      • Easiest: Search for “Senjutsu Heir” – 0 results

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