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Top Ten Techniques for Using Euclid

Technique #1: KEYWORD SEARCHING: Do a keyword search for catalog records containing words related to your topic, combining multiple words with "AND" to maximize the number of relevant records returned by your search. If you omit the "AND," you will limit your results in ways you probably do not want.

Technique #2: TRUNCATED KEYWORD SEARCH: Perform a truncated keyword search to locate catalog records containing different forms of a word related to your topic. The truncation symbol in Euclid is the dollar sign: $.

Technique #3: PHRASE SEARCHING: When you know a specific phrase in the title or topic of the book you want to find, input your phrase into the keyword or title search field with single quotation marks around the phrase. If the phrase includes words like AND, OR, NOT, enclose them in double quotation marks to include in the phrase search. The example below is from the "Complex Search" screen.

Technique #4: SUBJECT SEARCHING AND BROWSING: When you find a relevant catalog record, link to other relevant records by selecting an appropriate "subject heading," which are located near the end of the catalog record (see "Title subject" in the example below). Make a note of helpful subject headings for later reference. You can find these results later by doing a subject search for the subject heading, omitting all punctuation, except periods (e.g., Bible N.T. Acts Commentaries). There are common and most helpful subject headings that reference librarians can help you identify.

When you have located a relevant subject heading, do a "browse" search for additional subject headings related to your topic in order to refine further your topic and find related materials. Select the radio button for "browse" that is located above the search bar on the main search page; then input your main subject heading (without punctuation), and select "subject."

Technique #5: LIMIT/SORT BY DATE: Find most recent works on a topic by doing a complex search, and sorting by date.

Technique #6: IDENTIFY THE THREE-PART BOOK LOCATION: Find the book on the shelf by noting: 1) the name of the library, 2) the location of the copy in the library, and 2) the Library of Congress "Call Number." Use library maps and signage for direction. When the book is not on the shelf, double-check all three locations in the catalog. If the book is "CHECKEDOUT," view the detailed record and select "request" to recall (it can take 2 weeks to receive a recalled book).

Technique #7: FIND JOURNALS IN ONE OF THREE WAYS: Begin by noting: 1) the availability of electronic access & 2) the date and location of the journal article you are seeking. The vast majority of journal articles are NOT available online, but are in the Periodicals Room (Per-Stacks) and Storage Library (pre-1950 journals). To request from Storage, go to "Storage Request."

Technique #8: SEARCH FOR SPECIFIC BOOK BY AUTHOR/TITLE: When you know the title and author of a book, and wish to find it in the library catalog, go to "complex search," input author's last name first, then comma, then first name. Omit articles ("then, a") from title.

Technique #9: COLLECTION RECORDS VIA EMAIL OR ENDNOTE: To export catalog records to email, "mark" the record(s), and select the "Print/Capture" button at the top of the search screen. To export into Endnote, follow these directions.

Technique #10: REQUEST UNAVAILABLE BOOKS VIA INTERLIBRARY LOAN: If a book does not appear in Euclid, and you wish to borrow a copy from another library, you may do an Interlibrary Loan. These books will arrive within a week, on average, and the loan period generally varies from 2 to 5 weeks. The link to Interlibrary Loan is at the top of the Euclid screen and on the Pitts Library homepage.