Research Tips: Finding Books

Searching for Library Books in the Online Catalog

Try these simple strategies to locate the books you need.

1. Keywords: Only enter the key search terms in the search box, not complete sentences (unless you are searching for the title of a book). For example, search for “adolescent behavior”, not “how adolescents behave when they are alone”.
    
2. Spelling: Double-check your spelling and see if there are alternate ways to spell your search term(s).
    
3. Synonyms: Brainstorm words with similar meanings and try searching for them. For example, if you are looking for information on adolescents, you may also want to try juvenile, teen, teenager, minor, etc.
    
4. Limit: Use the catalog’s “Limiters,” located on the left side of your search results page, to narrow your search even further by Author, General Topic, Format, Genre, Campus, Person, etc.

Video Tutorial

You’ve found a book in the online catalog, now what?

1. If the item is “Available” and the campus is “Hamilton,” write down the Call Number–you will need this number to locate the book on the shelf.

2. If the item is “Available” and it is located at one of the other Miami University Libraries, you can click “Request Item” to have it delivered to the Hamilton campus.

3. If the item does not say “Available,” but instead says “Due ….” or “Lib Use Only,” you can search in OhioLINK to find an available copy and have it delivered to the Hamilton campus.