Power Search

iBistro's Power Search can be used to combine search elements to refine a search, to limit a search based on criteria configured by your library, produce a browse list of specified items, or perform a call number search.

Combining Search Elements

Use Power Search to combine search elements separated by Boolean operators. You can combine word or phrase, author, title, subject, series, and periodical title searches. iBistro will search for any records containing the combined information. Use the Boolean operator pull-down menu to further refine your search.

• Type a word or phrase for words or phrase and iBistro will search for any catalog records containing the word or phrase.
  
  
• Type an author's name for author and iBistro will search for any catalog records containing the author's name. Although you can search for an author by the first name, last name, or initials, searching by an author's last name produces a more complete list of search results, or if your search reverts to the browse list, places you in a more focused portion of the browse list.
  
  
• Type a title for title and iBistro will search for any catalog records with the title. iBistro ignores articles as well as other stopwords.
  
  
• Type a subject for subject and iBistro will search for any catalog records with the search term in the subject index.
  
  
• Type a series title for series and iBistro will search for any catalog records with the search term with that series title.
  
  
• Type a periodical or journal title for periodical title and iBistro will search for any records containing the search term in the periodical keyword index.

A search expression can consist of a single term or a set of terms, as well as operators and special punctuation. Refer to Searching Tips for more information on search terms in iBistro.

After you have entered the search criteria, select the Search button to perform the power search. Select the Reset button if you want to clear the fields and enter different search criteria.

Limiting the Search

Use Power Search to limit your search based on criteria configured by your library. Your library may have the following options for limiting a search.

• In a multilibrary system, you can limit your search by choosing a specific branch from the library pull-down menu.
  
  
• If your library has holdings in a variety of languages, you can choose a specific language to search under from the language pull-down menu.
  
  
• If your library has holdings in a variety of formats (such as printed music, maps, and equipment) you can choose a specific format to search under from the format pull-down menu.
  
  
• If you are familiar with your library's catalog record item types, you can choose a specific item type to search under from the item type pull-down menu.
  
  
• You can limit your search by the area of the library that the item is located from the location pull-down menu.
  
  
• You can have your search match on a particular part of a catalog record (such as keywords only) by using the match on pull-down menu.
  
  
• You can limit your search to a specific publication year from the pub year pull-down menu.
  
  
• You can sort your power search results by specified criteria from the sort by pull-down menu.

Browsing

From the Power Search page, switch to Browse to produce of browse list of items. The browse list may be produced based on a search of an author, a title, a subject, a series, or a periodical or journal title. In a multilibrary system, the browse list may be produced from a search of a single library or all libraries.

Call Number Search

If you know the call number of the item you are searching for, you can use the Call Number Search option. Your library may have the following options for limiting a search.

• In a multilibrary system, you can select which library catalog to search in by choosing one from the library pull-down menu.
  
  
• If you are familiar with your library's catalog record item types, you can choose a specific item type to search under from the item type pull-down menu.
  
  
• You can choose the library shelving location to search in by selecting one from the location pull-down menu.

Contents

More About Searching

Limit a Search
Search Again from the Search Results Display
Search for Electronic Texts
Search the Internet
Search for an Item Using the Z39.50 Protocol
Search Other Library Catalogs
Search Results
Searching Tips