Why can't I locate an item that is in the Library catalog?
Some searches can produce no results, or incomplete results, even though the Library does have the item(s) in the catalog. The most common scenario in which this happens involves titles with numbers or special characters, such as hyphens, that sometimes cause issues with the Library search.
If a search in the Library catalog does not show items that you are looking for, try the following alterations to your search query:
- If the original title contains special characters such as a hyphen, ampersand, pound sign, etc., make sure to include these in your search.
- Replace small single-digit numerals such as 4, 5, or 6 with typed numbers, such as four, five, or six.
- Shorten the length of your search query. Choose a small subset of keywords within the title instead of searching for the entire title.
- Utilize some of the advanced searching techniques such as AND, OR, and NOT or limiting your search using the options available in the Library catalog. Video tutorials on these advanced techniques can be found here.
