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OCLC Support

Query Builder

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Find information about the Query Builder section of the Analysis tab in GreenGlass.

The Query Builder is divided into two panels. The Query parameters are entered in the left panel and the results appear in the right panel. As query parameters are added in the left panel, the results refresh and appear immediately. 

  • The left and right panels of the New Query screen scroll separately. If the left panel is hidden, click on the SHOW EDITOR tab.

At any time, you are invited to SAVE your query in the upper right portion of the screen. There is no limit on the number of queries that can be saved. 

Please contact your GreenGlass liaison if you have query requirements that are not readily satisfied by the tools in GreenGlass. Your GreenGlass liaison can build more complex models and scenarios offline.

Build a new query

  1. Click on the NEW Query Button on the upper left and replace this with the name of your query. Click confirm. 
    • If you do not, your query will be saved as "New Query". There is a 255-character limit on query names.
  2. Review the available components. Refer to Query parameters for more information.
    • Some of these components may have been customized for your library.
  3. Add query parameters to the left panel.
    • After naming your query, you will have the opportunity to select All subjects, Specific LC Classes or even Specific LC Sub-Classes.  
    • If yours is a Dewey Library, you’ll also have the opportunity to select specific Dewey ranges at the level of hundreds or tens.
    • You can also control your results by primary language.  Enter the three-letter code from the MARC record. If you wish to include multiple languages, separate the codes with commas.  Query parameters are entered into the left panel and results appear on the right panel.
    • As changes are made in the left panel, the right panel refreshes, and the impact of each threshold is seen immediately.
    • As you enter parameters, each one appears under the tallies and above the bar chart.
  4. Click the [SAVE] button in the upper right corner of the screen to save the query at any point.
  5. Whether or not you have saved the query, you can scroll down the page to view the charted data in tabular form and see a list of books that match the current parameters.  Because the list may be long, use the navigational tool to see the list by subject.  
  6. As always, you are free to export the list by clicking on the [EXPORT] button.

Query parameters

Option Description
SUBJECTS

Choose the subject(s) to include:

  • All subjects
  • Specific LC classes
  • Specific dewey ranges

Select LC or Dewey classes and subclasses.

Projects processed after September 2018 will allow you to select one or more numeric ranges within a given LC or Dewey subclass (e.g., DA 757.9 - 826 Scottish History).

 
CALL NUMBERS

A Call Number search feature allows you to search for non-standard patterns and character strings in your call numbers (e.g. “oversize”, “folio”). This feature can be used to query for non-LC and non-Dewey classification marks. Options include:

  • No restriction
  • Starts with
  • Includes
  • Ends with
LOCATIONS

Select which codes you would like to include from your higher-level Collection codes and more granular Location codes.

Title Options Description
Collections All collection codes Selecting will include all collection codes.
Specific collections Selecting will allow you to choose individual options from a list of your collections.
Locations All location codes Selecting will include all location codes.
Specific locations Selecting will allow you to choose individual options from a list of your locations.
FORMATS
Option Description
Ebooks

Options include:

  • No restriction
  • Has ebook alternative
  • No ebook alternative
Record types

Select one or more record types.

 Note: The government document record type is not exclusive.  For example, a title can be both a government document and a book.
Primary language Include or exclude titles based on their MARC primary language code
Possible duplicate

 For more information, watch the Tutorial: Understanding Possible Duplicates (5:09). 

Search for possible duplicates or exclude possible duplicates from their results.  Options include:

  • No restriction
  • Possible duplicate
  • NOT possible duplicate
  • Possible duplicate, or a related item
    • Retrieves the duplicates themselves and all of the items that share an OCN, matching the logic of the Remediation List. Refer to Remediation.
Multi-edition title Options include:
  • No restriction
  • Multi-edition title
  • NOT multi-edition title

See Multi-edition titles for more information.
Multi-volume set Is a title part of a multi-volume set?

 
LOCAL CIRCULATION HISTORY

Select items within the specified threshold for Recorded uses and Last charge date.  
PUBLICATION AND ACQUISITION DATES Select whether to include items published or acquired in the specified Publication year or Added to collection timeframe.
WORLDCAT™ HOLDINGS
  • Under Edition Matching
    • Choose same edition to count holdings for the exact edition (holdings set on the same OCLC record number as yours).
    • Choose any edition to count holdings for related editions as established by OCLC's implementation of work families.

       Note: 

      • US/CA and State/Province holdings include your library's holding.
      • Comparator Library tallies do not include your library's holding. Comparator Libraries were defined at the outset of your project. Contact your GreenGlass liaison or your local project manager for details.
      • All Comparator Libraries combine all of your library's comparators into a single tally. Where comparator groups overlap (the same library appears in more than one group) they will only be counted once here.
GROUP-LEVEL ATTRIBUTES If your library is a member of a group project, you will be able to query on GROUP LEVEL ATTRIBUTES such as group overlap, aggregate uses, and whether titles are allocated for retention.
HATHITRUST

Include or exclude titles based on their HathiTrust status.
COMBINE QUERIES

At the bottom of the left panel, users have the option to combine the on-screen query with one or more queries that have been built and saved previously.

Combined queries can use OR or AND logic.

  • Click the Combine results with other queries radio button for an OR query.
  • Click the Intersect results with other queries radio button for an AND query.

Combined queries can be saved and exported.

 
SPECIAL CATEGORY If your library defined a special category, you have the option to include or exclude those titles from your query results. To see your Special Category Rules, click on the green question mark.
CHOICE If your library chose to include CHOICE matches, you will see an option to set query criteria based on whether the title has been reviewed in CHOICE and whether it was named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title.

Share a query

As your library uses the GreenGlass Query Builder to identify appropriate collection management strategies, final decisions about query parameters and thresholds may require collaboration with colleagues in your library. For example, some libraries establish a collection-wide baseline query, that is subsequently adapted for different subject areas or locations. As you experiment with various tactics, you may want to share specific GreenGlass queries. This can be accomplished in a couple of ways:

  • Distribute a list or screen shot of the parameters of the query to your colleagues so that they can replicate it in their GreenGlass account. Query parameters are displayed on the Analysis Overview screen, and in the Query Builder. Be sure to include the tally of matched items.
  • Share a single GreenGlass user account or login with everyone in your library. Please contact your SCS liaison if you'd like a GreenGlass account specifically intended for this kind of sharing.