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Searching

Type the keyword you want to find. For example:

  • design
  • bleachers grisham
Search Tips
Wildcards Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters. The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string. You may use '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word.
Examples : environment* polic*, wom?n
Boolean Operators Use "and" or "or" to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use "and not" to exclude words.
Example : stocks and bonds
Example : (alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Field limits A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).
Grouping Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

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Advanced Keyword Search Tips

Multiple Words

When searching multiple words the system will automatically supply the Boolean "and" operator between each word; multiple words entered for the search will all occur somewhere in the retrieved records though not necessarily in the order entered. Both examples on the right will retrieve the same results.

Examples

Using multiple words:
university science department
university and science and department

Phrase Searches

Search for complete phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes will appear together in all results exactly as typed.

Examples

A phrase Search:
"university science department"

Wildcards

*   Matches any number of non-space characters, starting at the specified position in the word. For example, "comput*" will match all words that begin with "comput" (e.g., "computer", "computation", etc.).
The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string.

?   You may use a question mark ('?') to replace a single character anywhere within a word.

Examples

* Wildcard:
environment* polic*
comp*

? Wildcard:
wom?n

Boolean Operators

Use AND or OR to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use AND NOT to exclude words. Select the operator you wish to use from the selection list on the Advanced Search form.

Examples

Using Boolean operators:
stocks and bonds
stocks or bonds
stocks and not bonds

Field Limits

Field limits may be specified by selecting a field limit from the selection list. These limits appear before the word or phrase to be searched. A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).

Field Limits and their meanings:

  • Author: Search only author fields
  • Title: Search only title fields
  • Subject: Search only subject fields
  • Note: Search only note fields

Grouping

Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

Most relevant Most relevant titles 

Highly relevant Highly relevant titles 

Very relevant Very relevant titles 

Relevant Relevant titles 

Other relevant Other relevant titles 

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Renew Materials Online

Library patrons may renew their borrowed materials online.

  1. Log in to your Library Account.
  2. Click the "Items currently checked out" link to view the materials you have checked out.
  3. Select the materials you want to renew by checking the boxes in the RENEW column and then click the Renew Selected button. If you want to renew everything, click the Renew ALL button.
  4. If you cannot renew an item, a message will appear on the screen saying the item is not renewable. If you are successful, a new due date will appear in the "STATUS" column. Always check the STATUS column for information on the success or failure of your renewal.

You may also renew materials during closed hours by telephone at 574-280-2764. Have your library card and the materials in hand so that you can type in the bar codes.
Go to My Account

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Pay Charges Online

You may use your Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express Card to pay any charges to your account. Charges must be over $1.00 to pay with this option.

Here is how to get started:

  1. Log in to your Library Account.
  2. Select the "Unpaid Fines and Bills" link.
  3. Select "PAY ONLINE".
  4. Select the charges that you wish to pay, complete all of the information for the credit card transaction, and click SUBMIT.
  5. A confirmation page will appear. You can print a copy of your receipt at this time and click OK. A receipt will also be sent to the email address you entered in step 4.

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My Lists

Have you ever seen a title you wanted to read or a movie you wanted to watch "someday" but not right now? Have you ever wanted to remember a book for its specific contents? The My Lists feature will allow you to make personal lists in your library account. You can keep a list of books you would like to read, movies to watch, books that have outstanding cookie receipes, books on geneaology, favorite children's book, books by a particular author, etc. First choose a title, then click on Add to My Lists. Give the new list a name like "Books I Want to Read" and the item's title is added to that list. You may add titles to a list at any time by clicking on Add to My Lists and choosing the name of the list you want to add the title to. You can sort titles in your lists by title, author, or date added to the list. You can delete entries from a list at any time or move records between lists. To see the titles in your list, login to your account and double click on the name of the list.


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