See A Movie
Limiting Catalog Searches [Movie opens in new window.]
Because there are more than 5 million items listed in the OSU Library Catalog, you can potentially get a large set of search results. Limiting is a very useful technique for screening out less relevant items.
When should you limit a catalog search? Any time you receive more than 25 matches, think about ways to limit search results, in order to save time and effort.
The table below summarizes how PRE and POST limiting may be used in the OSU Library Catalog:
| Search Type | Subset (Mini-Catalog) |
Language | Material Type |
Library Location |
Publication Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADVANCED KEYWORD | PRE-limit | PRE-limit | PRE-limit | PRE-limit | PRE-limit |
| KEYWORD | PRE-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit |
| AUTHOR | PRE-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit |
| TITLE | PRE-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit |
| SUBJECT | PRE-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit | POST-limit |
Limiting Catalog Searches [Movie opens in new window.]
As you browse through results of various catalog searches, you can save or store away various records that look useful. There are two ways to save catalog records, depending on which type of screen you are viewing:
What happens next? After you have saved records, a new button labeled Export Saved appears on the Catalog screen. When you are finished searching and wish to export your saved records, click this button.
When exporting saved records from the catalog, you must make several decisions, as shown in the illustration below:
Choose the format of your list: full or brief records, or specially formatted for use with bibliographic management software (Pro-Cite or End-Note)? Also select how to capture your records:
Note that your list of saved records is also shown, so you can remove items from it before you do anything else. When finished, be sure to click on the button labelled Clear Saved.
Saving and Exporting Catalog Records [Movie opens in new window.]
You can easily borrow items that you find in your search. First check the STATUS column to make sure the item is available to borrow. Then click on the "Request this item" button in the record and follow the directions on subsequent screens.
What if the book you want is already checked out? If an item that you want to borrow is not available at Ohio State, click on the "OhioLINK Catalog" button in the record to send your search to the OhioLINK catalog (you do not need to re-enter it) and borrow it from another library. This request is also done online and items borrowed from other OhioLINK libraries are sent to Ohio State within several days.
Read this guide to learn more about library borrowing services and rules
at Ohio State University:
Circulation Services and Policies
Click the drop-down list labeled "Search History" to view all of the searches you have entered in the Catalog during the current browsing session. Select any search in the list to return to it.
First, log in to the Catalog by clicking on My Record and entering your name and identification number. You will then be able to save any searches done while logged in. Click the button labeled "Save Search to My Record," as shown in the illustration below.
When viewing your record, select the link labeled "Preferred Searches" to display them. Here you can run the search again. You can also set up e-mail alerts to notify you when any new materials that match your search are added to the Catalog.
When viewing your record, you can also see a list of materials checked out to you and the status of any that you have requested. Click the link labeled "Items checked out" to renew materials online.
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