Catalog+Searches

= Catalog Searches  =

How to use the TTU Libraries' online catalog to find materials in our Library.
You can locate many items in the TTU University Library which will be relevant for research. However, before you can request the item, you must figure out what you're looking for. Go to [] (which takes you to the University Library's Home Page).

Click on "Find Books and More"; this takes you to the "Basic Search" page of the TTU Online Catalog.

Note that you can "Browse an Alphabetical List" or "Search for a keyword." Generally speaking, a Keyword search is the most comprehensive, so it is a good place to start. However, you can also search by specific author or title (if you have this information).

Note also that you can limit the "Format" of the materials you are seeking: that is, you can specify that the database show you only Books, Serials/Journals, Music Scores, or other types of material. Or, you can leave the checkbox at "All Formats" and see everything the library holds.

Example: a keyword search for "bach" and "cello" brings up 31 citations in our library.

Click on the highlighted title of a specific item, and it gives you the complete citation, including the shelf location, and **very often i****ncluding an abstract**. **The abstract is very useful**: you must write an annotation for your bibliography, and the abstract can tell you whether the article is worth the effort of acquiring it.

Note that you can click on the highlighted "Author" or "Subject" links and this will in turn bring you to many other items by this author or on this subject.

Note the headings that read "ILL Request" (e.g., "Inter-Library Loan Request", for loan from another university library) and "Mail records" (allowing you to email the citation to yourself). Both of these options save.

When you're ready to move on to the next item, click "Next Record" or "Return to Results List." Example: Item 3 in the sample search ("bach" and "cello") says the Source is "The journal of musicology," and Ownership says Tech owns this item. A "title" search" in the Online Database indicates that the Library's volumes of this journal are found at ML1.J59.