OCLC Connexion: Searching WorldCat quick reference

Search the browser or client

Open the Search WorldCat client window or browser screen:

1. Client: Click Cataloging > Search > WorldCat or click , or press <F2>.
   Browser: Click the Cataloging tab > Search > WorldCat or press <Ctrl><Shift><W>.
2. Enter a complete search or browse in correct search syntax in the Command Line Search box. Type any of these search types:
   • Numeric
   • Keyword
   • Derived
   • Browse (scan or index)
   Or
   Enter a guided search in parts in the Keyword/Numeric area and select an index using text boxes and drop-down lists. Let the system create the correct search syntax. Enter any of these search types:
   • Numeric
   • Keyword
   • Derived search term (no browse)
   
   For details, General guidelines.

Tip: Collapse or re-expand the Search WorldCat window or screen to show only the Command Line or show the full window/screen:

• Client: Click Expand/Collapse.
• Browser: Click the plus or minus button:  or .

Quick search: Client only

Use the WorldCat Quick Search box on the toolbar to enter a command line search or browse. Click the button to the right to send the search.

Guided browsing in the client or browser

Open the Browse WorldCat client window or browser screen to enter a guided browse term:

1. Client: Cataloging > Browse > WorldCat, or click , or press <F2>.
   Browser: Click Cataloging tab > Browse > WorldCat or press <Ctrl><Shift><B>.
2. Enter a browse term in the Browse for box.
3. Select an index in the adjacent list.

For details, see General guidelines.

Batch process searches: Client only

1. Click Batch > Enter Bibliographic Search Keys or press <Alt><B><B>.
2. Select a local file to store searches (default: DefaultBib.bib.db).
3. Select an index in the adjacent list.
4. Enter a numeric, keyword, or derived search in the Query box, using full search syntax (same as command line search syntax).
5. Click Add or press <Enter>.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4. As you add searches, the client displays them in a list.
7. When finished, click Save.
8. When ready, run batch processing (Batch > Process Batch).

Command line (full syntax) search or browse

For a command line search (a complete search in a single string):

• Precede a browse term with the Scan command (sca) followed by a space, but use no command for a search.
  Example of browsing: sca ti:roots
• Include index labels followed by correct punctuation to indicate a word, phrase (subfield data), or whole phrase (field data) form of the index.
  • Use a two-letter index label and a colon (:) for word indexes.
    Example: ti:nexus
  • Use a two-letter index label and an equal sign (=) for phrase indexes.
    Example: ti=connected islands new and selected*
  • Use a three-letter index label ending in the letter w and an equal sign (=) for whole phrase indexes.
    Example: pnw=woolf, leonard 1880-1969
  • Exceptions. Index labels are optional for:
    • Derived search if it is the first or only search term
    • ISBN search if it is the first or only search term
    • OCLC number search, if preceded by an asterisk (*) or number sign (#)
• Options
  • Type Boolean operators and, or, or not to combine multiple terms in different indexes.
  • Type proximity operators with (w) or near (n) with numbers (1 to 25) to find multiple terms in one index that have a specified number of intervening words.
  • Include only one qualifier of any one type.
  • Use slashes or index labels for format, year, microform, or source qualifiers.
  • Use index labels only (cannot precede with a slash) for Internet/non-Internet or language qualifiers.
  • Type symbols for wildcards (# or ?) and truncation (*) in place of characters to retrieve different forms of a word. (Available for Latin script searches only.)
     Note: Precede symbols by at least three characters.
• Client only—no separate indexes for non-Latin script  search terms: Use the same indexes, operators, and qualifiers as for Latin script searches. Enter search terms in Latin script.

Guided search or browse

For a guided search (entered in parts; system creates the syntax):

• In the Search WorldCat window or screen, enter a keyword, numeric, or derived search term in any Search for box.
• (Optional). Enter multiple search terms in a single box to combine search terms in a single index. Between terms, type appropriate Boolean operator(s):
  • and, or, or not.
  • with (w) or near (n). (Optional). Add numbers (1 to 25) to specify the number of intervening words.
• Select an index from the adjacent list.
• Other options:
  • Enter search terms in additional Search for boxes and select and, or, or not from lists to combine search terns in different indexes.
  • Enter symbols for wildcards (# or ?) and truncation (*) in place of characters or endings in a search term to retrieve different forms of a word.
     Note: Precede symbols by at least three characters.
  • Select or enter qualifiers in lists or boxes.

Tip: Switch between long and short selection lists:

• Client: Click plus () or minus () to expand or shorten index, material type, or language lists.
• Browser: Click More Indexes or Fewer Indexes or click More Material Types or Fewer Material Types to expand or shorten index or material type lists.

 Note: All search examples and guidelines in this document are in command line format (full syntax) only.

Words, phrases, and whole phrases

Numeric searches

Keyword searches

Derived searches

Browse (scan an index)

Browsing matches your term or phrase character by character, from left to right, across.

Qualifiers

Add qualifiers to limit search results.

 Note: You can also qualify searches by language of cataloging (checks for a language in 040 ‡b):

• In the command line: Use index label ll: (two lowercase letter “ells” followed by a colon) and a language code. (See a list of codes at http://www.loc.gov/marc/languages.)
  Example: ti=to the lighthouse and ll:ger
  Or
• In the keyword/numeric search area: Enter a language in one of the Search for boxes and select the Language of Cataloging index in the adjacent list. Combine with another search term.

Operators

Use Boolean and proximity operators to combine search terms.

Truncation and wildcard symbols

Use truncation and wildcard symbols to expand or focus search results.

Qualify searches by specific material types

To qualify searches by material type, use a word or phrase qualifier index label (mt: or mt=) with the 3-letter code or name for a material type, as shown in the table below (names are not case-sensitive but must be entered exactly as shown).

Example: To find The Sound of Music in CD audio only, type: sou,of,mu, and mt:cda or sou,of,mu, and mt=cd audio

Material type codes and names below are organized by broad qualifier group and then alphabetically by name within each group.

*For integrating resource (int) and serial (ser) material types only, you can either precede with mt: or mt= or add to the end of a search as a slash qualifier (/ser or /int), similar to the main qualifiers.