AACC Truxal Library Instruction - Tutorials: Library Tutorial Catalog

The library catalog is one of the most important tools in the library. Like most libraries, Truxal Library uses an online (computerized) catalog - the old wooden card catalog is now gone!

The purpose of the library catalog is to find materials the library physically owns within the building. You may use the library catalog to find:

books
magazine, journal and newspaper titles
audio-visual materials

Student using a computer - photo

There are several types of searches you may do in the library catalog:

keyword(s) - to find the term(s) in any order from anywhere
author browse - when you know the name of the author
subject browse - when you have a pretty good idea which "official" (Library of Congress) subject heading to use
title keyword(s) - when you know words from the title

Keyword searches are a good way to start your research -

they are broad searches that look for your search word(s) in the subject, title and author fields of the computer record
you can use several words in your keyword searches and you don't have to worry about capitalization - although correct spelling does matter!
just enter your search word(s) and then browse through the resulting list
when you find items on your topic, look at the words used to describe that book, video, etc. - you might get some ideas about other search words to try

The library catalog is available through all Internet-connected computers, whether located in the library, on campus or in your own home. Just click on 'Library Catalog' from the Important Links area of the library's homepage at www.aacc.edu/library.