OCLC Connexion: Searching authorities quick reference

Search client

Open the Authorities Search window:

1. Client: Click Authorities > Search > LC Names and Subjects, or click , or press <Shift><F2>.
2. For a command line search: In the Authorities Search window, enter a complete search or browse string in correct search syntax in the Command Line Search box for any of these search types:
   • Numeric search
   • Text keyword search
   • Derived search
   • Text browse (scan an index)
   Or
   For a guided search: In the Authorities Search window, use boxes and lists in the Keyword/Numeric area to enter search term(s) and select index(es) and/or Boolean operators. The system creates the correct search syntax from your entries. Enter one of these search types:
   • Numeric search
   • Text search using keywords
    Note: You must open a different window for guided browsing.
3. (Optional). Click a check box to show See and/or See Also references in search results.
4. Click OK or press <Enter>.

Guided browsing in the client

Open the Authorities Browse window:

1. Client: Click Authorities > Browse > LC Names and Subjects, or click , or press <Alt><F2>.
2. Enter a browse term in the Browse for box. Do not precede the term with the Scan (sca) command or an index label.
3. Select an index from the drop-down list.
4. (Optional). Type a subheading term in the Expanded Term box to limit results to headings that contain the term in a subheading.
5. Click OK or press <Enter>.

Batch process searches

Construct and save command line searches and process them all at once in a batch (available in the client only):

1. In the Connexion client, click Batch > Enter Authority Search Keys or press <Alt><B><A>.
2. Select a local file for storing the searches you enter (default: DefaultAuth.auth.db).
3. Enter any search type in the Query box, except browse terms, using full search syntax in the same way you construct a command line search, using full search syntax.
4. Click Add or press <Enter>.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to enter more searches.
    Note: There is no limit on the number of searches you can enter. However, the maximum number of search results you can download is 150 records. (You can set the number of results to download, in the range 1 to 150, in Tools > Options > Batch tab.)
6. When finished, click Save.
7. When ready, run batch processing (Batch > Process Batch).

Command line search or browse

Experienced searchers can use the Command Line Search box to enter a complete search or browse string in correct search syntax (that is, enter all parts of a search or browse query in a single string in correct order and with correct spacing).

To use the Command Line Search box:

1. In the client, click Authorities > Search > LC Names and Subjects.
2. In the Command Line Search box of the Search window, enter a keyword text or numeric search, a derived search, or a browse query in full syntax, following these guidelines:
   • Precede a browse term with the Scan command (sca) followed by a space, but use no command for a search.
     Example: sca pn:vivaldi (browse) but pn:vivaldi (search)
   • Precede a search or browse term with a 2-letter index label followed by a colon (:) (see the pn: in the example above).
   • The index label and colon are optional for a derived search if it is the first or only search term.
     • Example: To search for the name heading Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, enter moza,wol,a or pd:moza,wol,a.
     • Exception: Corporate/conference/geographic names require a preceding equal sign (=) or index label.
     • Example: To search for the corporate name heading Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, enter =envi,mon,s or cd:envi,mon,s.
3. (Optional). Combine searches in the Command Line Search box by entering Boolean operators and, or, or not between them. Do not combine browse queries. See more details about Boolean operators in following pages.
   Example: su:carillon or su:bells
4. (Optional). Use the truncation symbol (*) and wildcard symbols (# or ?) in search terms in place of characters to retrieve different forms of a word.
   
   Do not use truncation or wildcards for browsing. Do not use them in non-Latin script searches.
   
   Required if you use these symbols: Precede a symbol by at least three characters.
   
   Example: ti:librar*

 Note: For batch searching in the Connexion client, enter complete search strings as you do for the Command Line Search box (note that you cannot batch-process browse queries).

Guided search

Searchers who do not want or need to remember index labels and syntax rules can use guided searching and browsing (that is, you enter the parts of a search and let the system create the correct syntax).

To enter a guided numeric or keyword search:

1. In the client, click Authorities > Search > LC Names and Subjects.
2. In the Keyword/Numeric Search area of the Search window, enter a keyword text or numeric search term in any Search for box.
3. (Optional). Combine search terms.
   
   To search for multiple terms in a single index:
   1. Enter the terms in a single Search for box and combine them with Boolean operators and, or, or not.
      Example: pn:woolf, Virginia and ti:between the acts
   2. Select an index from the list adjacent to the Search for box.
   
   To search for multiple terms in multiple indexes:
   1. Enter up to 5 search terms in separate Search for boxes.
   2. Select an index from the list to the right of each term.
   3. Select and, or, or not from lists to each additional Search for box following the first.
4. (Optional). Use truncation and wildcard symbols in search terms as described in step 4 for command line searching.

 Note: You cannot enter a derived search or a browse query in the Keyword/Numeric Search area.

Guided browsing

To enter a guided browse query:

1. In the client, click Authorities > Browse > LC Names and Subjects.
   Or
2. Follow the instructions for Guided browsing in the client.

 Note:

• All search examples in the following sections are shown in command line format (that is, in full search syntax).

Numeric search

Text keyword search

Browse (scan an index)

Derived search

Boolean operators, truncation, and wildcards

Numeric search indexes

The following numeric search indexes cannot be used for browsing:

 Note: Indexing field 667 for LCCNs helps identify personal names that were previously in undifferentiated authority records, but were subsequently established as separate authority records, using unique control numbers. The index matches only the word undifferentiated (in upper- or lowercase) in field 667. LCCNs in field 667 are not compared or verified with LCCNs in field 010.

Text indexes (keyword search and browse)

The following indexes are available for both searching and browsing, unless noted:

Derived search indexes

The following derived search indexes are unavailable for browsing: