searches

Learn to Speak the Language of Your Database!

Have you ever tried to convey a message to someone who does not speak the same language as you? How well did that go? Did you have to use body language? Using a database or a database search tool (such as Discovery or Proquest) requires that you communicate with it in a language that itContinue reading “Learn to Speak the Language of Your Database!”

Quick library catalog searching tip: Titles with "not" in them

The library has several \”Eat This, Not That!\” books, but if you try searching for them like this, you\’ll never find them: If you\’re searching for a title that has the word \”not\” in it, what you need to do instead is put the title in quotes, like in the example below. If you wantedContinue reading “Quick library catalog searching tip: Titles with "not" in them”

Valentine\’s Day in the library\’s catalog

With Valentine\’s Day coming up in just a couple days, I thought I\’d list a selection of good subjects you can try searching in DSL\’s catalog if you\’d like books on love, relationships, romance, and more. Man-woman relationships Mate selection Courtship Intimacy (Psychology) Love Love-letters Love poetry Love songs Love stories Marriage Subjects like theseContinue reading “Valentine\’s Day in the library\’s catalog”

Search Engines Worth Checking Out

\”Google is the most powerful search engine available, but when it comes to searching for something specific, Google may churn out general results.\” For more precise searching, a niche-specific search engine can be very useful. To help us find these specialty search engines, the Hongkiat (Online Tips for Tech Users, Designers, Bloggers) blog has compiledContinue reading “Search Engines Worth Checking Out”

Phrase searching and Boolean operators

These search techniques can be used with search engines or library databases. Phrase searching occurs when you put quotes around a search phrase: \”drunk driving\”. This will search the web (or database) for every instance of these two words in that order. Boolean operators are the words AND, OR, NOT. AND narrows searches…for example, \”smallContinue reading “Phrase searching and Boolean operators”