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Library Research Tutorials

This guide walks you through the research process with sections on searching the library catalogs and databases as well as tips on crafting research topics and how to evaluate sources.

Searching the Library Catalog

 

Open laptop with books coming out of the screen.This page covers:

  • Using the advanced search interface to search the library catalog
  • Navigating your search results page and filtering your results
  • Reviewing and locating an item 

 

What's the point?

  • OneSearch is CSUCI's library catalog, where you can search all of the content (books, articles, videos, images, and more) available at Broome Library. OneSearch is a great place to start when you first begin your research. Later on in the research process it is a good idea to use the library databases too.
  • This section will walk you through searching the library catalog with screenshots and interactive images. Open a new tab in your browser and follow along with the steps below to get the most out of this tutorial.

 

Navigating this page:

  • This page is designed with multiple learning pathways. The same information is covered in each pathway, so simply choose whichever fits your learning style best. You can explore the information three ways:
  • Interactive Image: Engage with the blue plus sign icons on the interactive image below to explore the database tutorial.
  • Text: Read about the information with accompanying screenshot images from the database.
  • Watch: Watch a video about the information in the Video Tutorials box at the bottom of the page.

 

Using the Advanced Search Interface

Using the Advanced Search

When possible, use the Advanced Search option, which offers many customized tools for your search. The interactive image below is the library catalog's advanced search interface, which will appear after you select the Advanced Search button, located to the right of the search bar on the library homepage.

 

Interactive Image of the Advanced Search Screen (Library Catalog)

Navigating your Search Results

Navigating your Search Results

After you hit the search button and get to the search results page. Take a moment to review the number of results you retrieved. While you might have the perfect number of results, it is far more common to have either too few or too many results. This is normal and expected. Remember, research is a process. You will almost always need to return to previous steps in the process and attempt new search strategies. The interactive image below goes over how to use these limiters to refine your searches and other helpful tools on this page.

 

Interactive Image of the Search Results webpage (Library Catalog)

Detailed View of an Item and How to Locate It

Looking at the Record: The Item

The Record is a term librarians use for the page with all the information relating to a specific source or material. Basically, this is the page that you arrive at after you select a title from your search results. This page provides a lot of useful information and tools, so let's take a moment to take apart the record page.

 

Interactive Image of a Record (Library Catalog)

Video Tutorial

Using OneSearch

Watch this 11:04 video to learn how to navigate the OneSearch library catalog.

Video Credit: "Searching the Library Catalog at Broome Library" by Breeann Austin at Broome Library licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)