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View and use WorldCat search results

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Learn how to navigate local holdings records search results in WorldCat.

Search results displays

Any WorldCat search results in one of the following displays:

Number of records Default display
101 - 1,500 Group list. Lists groups of records by type of material and year.

 Note:  All retrieved records in one material type category and with the same date (including no date) are placed in a single group. Such a group may contain more than 100 records.
6 - 100 Truncated list. Presents a 1-line entry for each record.
Index searched determines the sort order and the information extracted for display.
If the index specified for the first search term contains additional terms from the record, additional fields appear in a popup screen tip when you place the mouse pointer on the item.
2 - 5 Brief list. Lists brief entries containing 2-5 lines of information from descriptive fields in the record.
Sort order: Ascending order by main entry (100 field), then by the (245 field), then by publication date (Date1), and finally by OCLC control number (001 field) in descending order.
1 Full record. Full record appears in edit mode and in the default view.

Select brief or truncated list view

  • If you prefer that all search results (regardless of result set size) be presented as a brief list or a truncated list, you can choose your preferred list type for all search results. You can select a list type before viewing search results; you can also change the type while viewing results. Your selected list type remains in effect until you change it.
  • Search WorldCat screen or Group Results. Use the list box at the top of the screen (Search WorldCat screen -- next to Search History button; Group Results -- below jump bar) to specify a list type. The choices are:
    • Display default list based on result set size (initial default setting)
    • Display brief list on next request
    • Display truncated list on next request
  • On Search Results. At a Search Results screen, a similar list box appears below the jump bar. The box shows the current list type. To change it, open the list and select one of these options:
    • Switch to brief list now
    • Switch to truncated list now

Local holdings indicators in search results (LH or GR link)

  • LH link. When your search results include a record to which your institution has attached a local holdings record (LHR), an LH link appears next to the item number on the brief or truncated list. Click the link to view the LHR or institution summary (if you have multiple LHRs linked to the record).
  • GR link. When you limit the search to group local holdings, and results include records with LHRs for institution(s) in the specified group, a GR link appears next to the item number. Click the link to view the holdings display (group summary, institution summary or LHR).
    Note: If you search for local holdings for multiple groups, the GR link does not appear in the search results.
  • See the following table for details.
Search results screen View local holdings
Group list No local holdings indicator on group list
Brief list or Truncated list The LH or GR link appears to the left of the item number for any record with local holdings attached.
Display local holdings
LH. Click the link to view either an LHR or an institution LHR summary.
GR. Click the link to view a group summary, an institution summary, or an LHR.
Bibliographic record

If your institution has local holdings records for the item, the text Holdings in [Inst symbol/Local [Inst] Holdings] appears at the top of the record. To view your local holdings, on the Action list click Edit Local Holdings.
If you do not hold the item, the text No holdings in [institution symbol] appears at the top of the record. To view local holdings for another institution, use Display Local Holdings.

Display local holdings

  1. On the View list, click Display Local Holdings or press <Alt><K><\> (backslash).
  2. In the Local Holdings Type list, select Institution Holdings, type an institution symbol in the text box, and click Display Local Holdings.
  3. In the Holdings Display window, under Local Holdings Information, click the link to the holdings summary for the institution you want.

Customize results displays (Cataloging Options)

  • On the Cataloging Options screen, you can set two options that affect WorldCat search results. Note: Changing these settings is optional; the system-supplied default settings work well for most users.
  • The WorldCat Results option determines whether search results present multiple screens of 10 records per screen or a scrollable list of 25 or 100 records. This option applies to search results, whether you view the records as a truncated list or a brief list. It does not affect group lists. Default setting: 100 Records.
  • The Truncated List Details option lets you choose whether to view a popup list of all indexed fields for the term in the first column of a truncated list. With this function On, when you place the mouse pointer on an item in the list, a yellow screen tip appears showing additional record fields from the record. Default setting: On - Show using optimized screen tips
  • To view or change the settings, on the General tab, under Admin Options, click Preferences. At the Preferences screen, click Cataloging Options.

Truncated list columns

  • Truncated list columns and order vary with the type of search.
  • The following table lists columns that can appear in a truncated list.
Column Description
Main Entry Field 1xx if present in record
Name Personal, corporate, or conference name or uniform title (for name/title search) that matched search key (fields 1xx, 7xx, or 240)
Title Title from field 245; for numeric search, field 130, 2xx, 440, 7xx, or 840
Government Document Number 086 ‡a or 086 ‡z or 074 ‡a
Publisher Number 028 ‡a or 262 ‡c
Name or 245 If matching field is 245, system displays 1xx if present or the column is blank for that record
If matching field is 130, system displays 245
If matching field is neither 245 nor 130, system displays 1xx if present or the column is blank for that record
Publisher 260 ‡b, 261 ‡a or 262 ‡b
Date Fixed field Date 1
L

One-character code identifying a designated library or program:
D = Library of Congress (DLC)
P = Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC)
M = National Library of Medicine (NLM)
G = U. S. Government Publishing Office (GPO)
A = National Agricultural Library (NAL)
B = British Library (UKM)
C = Library and Archives Canada (NLC)
T = National Central Library of Taiwan (CYT)

 Note: 
  • If a designated library creates a record, the system selects the appropriate letter from the preceding list.
  • If two or more designated libraries or PCC participants create a record, or if the record contains an 042 field with a PCC code, the system displays only the first applicable letter that appears in the hierarchy of the preceding list.
Examples:
  • If NLM issues a record that contains pcc in field 042, the system displays P
  • If NLM issues a record that contains lcd in field 042, the system displays D
  • If NLM issues a record that does not contain field 042, the system displays M

Move through group results or search results (View List and View Record jump bar)

  • The View List jump bar appears at the top and bottom of each screen of the results list.
  • The View Record jump bar appears at the top and bottom of each screen of the results list.
Action How to
Select a group from group list Click the hyperlinked type of material for the group you want.
Or
Type the group number in the View Group box and press <Enter>.
Move to next or previous group in search results Click the right arrow button (right of View Group box) or click the left arrow button (left of View Group box).

 Note:  If the selected term retrieves 100 or fewer records, no View Group box appears.
Move to next or previous screen in search results Click the right arrow button (right of View List box) or click the left arrow button (left of View List box).

 Note: If all entries appear on a single screen, the View List box and arrow buttons are not active.
View entries beginning with specific entry Type an entry number in the View List box and press <Enter>.

 Note: 

  • If all entries appear on a single screen, the View List box is not active.
  • For search results retrieved by selecting an item from group results, entries are numbered sequentially from the first record in the first group.
View a specific record Click the hyperlinked entry number for the record you want to view.
Or
Type an entry number in the View Record box and press <Enter>.

 Note:  For search results retrieved by selecting an item from group results, entries are numbered sequentially from the first record in the first group.

Move between records (View Record jump bar)

  • The View Record jump bar appears at the top and bottom of each record screen.
  • The record position indicator (Record _ of _) appears at the top and bottom of each record screen. As you move through the records, the indicator changes to reflect your current position in the results list.
Action How to
View next record in list Click the right arrow button (right of View Record box).
View previous record in list Click the left arrow button (left of View Record box).
View a specific record Type an entry number in the View Record box and press <Enter>.

 Note: For search results retrieved by selecting an item from group results, entries are numbered sequentially from the first record in the first group.
Return to results Click the Search Results, Group Results, or Browse Results button at the top or bottom of the record screen.

Quick search from browse results, group results, search results, or record view

  • Quick Search. You can enter any command line search using the WorldCat Quick Search box. At a record view, browse results, group results, or search results, if Quick Search is not visible, press <Alt><Q>.
  • Search History. Searches performed via Quick Search are included in the Search History list. To view, repeat, or revise previous searches, click Search History or press <Alt><=>.

Return to browse results, group results, or search results

Keyword, numeric, or derived search

Click the Search Results or Group Results button at the top or bottom of the record screen.

Or

On the Cataloging tab, under Search Options, WorldCat, click Group Results or Search Results.

Browse (index scan)

Click the Browse Results or Group Results or Search Results button at the top or bottom of the record screen.

Or

On the Cataloging tab, under Browse Options, click Browse Results. To return to a group list or brief list, under Search Options, WorldCat, click Group Results or Search Results.

Or

If you entered a browse query (index scan) from the Search WorldCat screen and the Browse button and Browse Options list are hidden, on the Cataloging tab, under Search Options, click Browse Results.

Print screen of results list

  1. If the list includes multiple screens, jump to the screen you want to print.
  2. Click once in the frame that contains the record list.
  3. In your browser, click File > Print or, on the toolbar, click the Print button.
  4. In the Print dialog box, click OK or press <Enter>.