NLS Catalog - Browse (2024)

Browse Search Tips

TITLES beginning with - Search Tips

Searches for words or phrases in all titles, entered in exact order beginning with the first word.

Enter either the complete title or the first few words of the title: american experiment or 2001 (for 2001: a space odyssey). If searching the full title does not produce satisfactory results, enter only the first few words of the title: dr jekyll (for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde).
Drop initial articles in any language: a, das, the, le, los, al-: name of the rose (for The name of the rose but A B C for A.B.C. murders.
Ending punctuation is ignored. Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, apostrophes, etc.).
Browse searches are automatically truncated: bank (for titles that begin with bank, banker, banking, or banks). Note: wildcards for single ( % ) and multiple ( ? ) characters are not available.
Consider alternative forms of title words for:

initials, acronyms, abbreviations (US or U.S. or United States)
numbers (10 or ten)
word variants (healthcare or health care; email or e-mail)
spelling variations (color or colour)

Add Limits to restrict your search results to a particular type of material, language, date range, or format. Note: the Year Published/Created limit applies to the year a work was produced in a special format.

TITLE (main) beginning with - Search Tips

Searches for words or phrases in the main (or primary) title only, entered in exact order beginning with the first word.

AUTHORS/NARRATORS beginning with - Search Tips

Browses personal and group author/narrator names, entered in exact order beginning with the first word of the name.

For personal authors/narrators, enter last name first: scourby alexander
For group authors/narrators, enter the name in direct order: American's Test Kitchen
Ending punctuation is ignored. Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, slashes, etc.): O'Neill
Browse searches are automatically truncated: smith (for names that begin with smith, smithers, or smithsonian). Note: wildcards for single ( % ) and multiple ( ? ) characters are not available.
Limits cannot be used.

AUTHORS/NARRATORS containing - Search Tips

Browses personal and group author/narrator names, matching words entered in any order. Use this search when you are not sure of the exact order of the words in an author/narrator name heading.

Use quotation marks ( " " ) to denote exact phrases: "buzzard madelyn" or "susan elizabeth"
Use a percent sign ( % ) as a single-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: Sus%n (for Susan, Susin, Susen etc.).
Use a question mark ( ? ) as a multiple-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: abbey theat?
Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, slashes, etc.): O'Neill
Limits cannot be used.

SUBJECTS beginning with - Search Tips

Browses subject headings, entered in exact order beginning with the first word of the subject.

Subject headings include standardized topics, names, places, titles, and forms/genres of material: solar energy or scores
Start with the left-most word: vietnam war 1961
Ending punctuation is ignored. Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, slashes, etc.): children's.
Browse searches are automatically truncated: garden (for subjects that begin with garden, gardeners, or gardening). Note: wildcards for single ( % ) and multiple ( ? ) characters are not available.
Limits cannot be used.

SUBJECTS containing - Search Tips

Browses subject headings, matching words entered in any order. Use this search when you are not sure of the exact order of the words in a subject heading.

Use quotation marks ( " " ) to denote exact phrases: "solar energy"
Use a percent sign ( % ) as a single-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: wom%n
Use a question mark ( ? ) as a multiple-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: scien?
Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, apostrophes, etc.): children's
Limits cannot be used.

LC CALL NUMBERS - Search Tips

Browses LC call numbers, entered in exact order beginning with the first element. Call numbers include both LC class numbers and other Library shelving numbers.

Enter either a complete call number or the first part of the number: TX652.5 (include period)
Enter spacing and punctuation accurately: TX725.M35 C56 (include period and space)
The LC classification assigned to a work is related to the subject of the work.
Truncation is automatic, but single and multiple character wildcards are not available.
Add Limits to restrict your search results to a particular type of material, language, date range, or format. Note: the Year Published/Created limit applies to the year a work was produced in a special format.

DEWEY CALL NUMBERS - Search Tips

Browses Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) Numbers. Enter Dewey numbers in exact order, beginning with the first element.

Enter either a complete Dewey number or the first part of the number: 917.98 or j811.6080352043 or 813/.6 (accurately include all periods, slashes, etc.)
Enter spacing and punctuation accurately: 813.6 (include period and slash)
Truncation is automatic, but single and multiple character wildcards are not available.
Add Limits to restrict your search results to a particular type of material, language, date range, or format. Note: the Year Published/Created limit applies to the year a work was produced in a special format.

NLS SUBJECTS beginning with - Search Tips

Browses NLS Subjects (broad descriptors), entered in exact order beginning with the first word of the subject.

NLS subjects include standardized topics and forms/genres of material: MYSTAF for mystery fiction; EDUCAN for education, adult non-fiction
Start with the left-most word: MYST, SUSP, HISF, etc.
Truncation is automatic, but single and multiple character wildcards are not available.
Add Limits to restrict your search results to a particular type of material, language, date range, or format. Note: the Year Published/Created limit applies to the year a work was produced in a special format.

NLS BOOK NUMBERS - Search Tips

Browses NLS Book Numbers. Enter book numbers in exact order, beginning with the first element.

Enter either a complete book number or the first part of the number: BR 24247 or DB 108174 (accurately include all words, parentheses, slashes, hyphens, etc.)
Enter spacing and punctuation accurately: DB 108174 (include space)
Truncation is automatic, but single and multiple character wildcards are not available.
Add Limits to restrict your search results to a particular type of material, language, date range, or format. Note: the Year Published/Created limit applies to the year a work was produced in a special format.

NAMES/TITLES beginning with - Search Tips

Browses name/title headings, entered in exact order beginning with the first word of the name.

For personal names, enter the last name first: gershwin george
For group names, enter in direct order: America's Test Kitchen
If dates are part of the name heading, enter them in exact order: gershwin george 1898 1937
If you know the entire name and title heading in exact order, you can enter it: gershwin george 1898 1937 porgy and bess
Ending punctuation is ignored. Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, apostrophes, etc.).
Browse searches are automatically truncated: smith (for names that begin with smith, smithers, or smithsonian). Note: wildcards for single ( % ) and multiple ( ? ) characters are not available.
Limits cannot be used.

NAMES/TITLES containing - Search Tips

Browses name/title headings, matching words from names and/or titles entered in any order. Use this search when you are not sure of the exact order of the words in a name/title heading. Because this search sorts results by author/narrator then by title (with editions of the same work grouped together), it is particularly useful for finding musical works as well as for browsing authors whose works have been issued in many editions.

Enter words from the name and/or title: beethoven sonata piano
Use quotation marks ( " " ) to denote exact phrases: "harry potter"
Use a percent sign ( % ) as a single-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: beethoven sonat%
Use a question mark ( ? ) as a multiple-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: verdi o?ello
Retain punctuation found in the middle of words and numbers (e.g. hyphens, periods, apostrophes, etc.): children's
Limits cannot be used.