at the top and bottom of the screen. Click on this button, and you will next
see a screen with options for limiting. Click here
if you would like to see what the limit screen looks like.The Lorette Wilmot Library at Nazareth College
Searching Library Catalogs - For Paul Morris' History Classes
Back to Library Instruction Resources page.
What do library catalogs do?
Library catalogs identify the actual holdings of specific libraries - their books, periodical titles, and media materials. Nazareth's library catalog is called the WebPAC.
Library catalogs should not be confused with databases such as ERIC or Historical Abstracts. Databases like ERIC and Historical Abstracts index what has been published within a general subject area - such as education (as in the case of ERIC) or world history (as in the case of Historical Abstracts).
Databases like ERIC and Historical Abstracts also typically include abstracts - brief summaries of the content of individual journal articles or other publications. Library catalogs rarely include abstracts. (A rare exception: Nazareth's WebPAC does include summaries of the content of videorecordings, DVDs, and films.)
Here are three links so that you may compare two typical WebPAC entries with an entry from Historical Abstracts:
A WebPAC catalog entry for a book in the Nazareth Library
A WebPAC catalog entry for a videorecording in the Nazareth Library, with a summary of the content of the video
A Historical Abstracts full entry display for a journal article, with an abstract
"Union" catalogs identify the holdings of groups of libraries. For example, ROARing Cat lists the holdings of libraries within the five county area including and surrounding Rochester. WorldCat (linked to the Library's official home page) lists the holdings of libraries located throughout the United States and around the world.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Most American library catalogs use Library of Congress subject headings to identify topics. The SUBJECT search in Nazareth's WebPAC is actually a search by subject heading.
Most subject headings are obvious, such as "Russia" or "Holocaust", but many are not. Because the WebPAC is web-based, you can easily rerun your search as a WORDS search if what you type in under SUBJECT does not match any Library of Congress subject heading used in the WebPAC.
For example, KGB is not a Library of Congress subject heading. If you type in KGB under SUBJECT in the WebPAC, the result will be an alphabetical list of subject headings that fall before and after KGB. In the center of the screen, the message "Your entry KGB would be here - - Search as Words" appears. This means the WebPAC is unable to find KGB as a subject heading. However, you can immediately do a Words search (a keyword search) for KGB just by clicking on the link "Search as Words". If you would like to see exactly what this looks like, please click here.
You can also bypass subject headings entirely by clicking on WORDS IN TITLES instead of SUBJECT on the WebPAC's main menu page. WORDS IN TITLES is a keyword search, limited to titles and words that appear in the table of contents.
Why isn't KGB a subject heading?
According to the rules of cataloging followed by most American libraries, names of organizations - as Library of Congress subject headings - are spelled out in the original language. Thus, for example, neither "SS" nor "KGB" appear in the WebPAC under SUBJECT.
Furthermore, the Russian alphabet differs from the alphabet used in English, so what you will see in the WebPAC entry for a book on the KGB is an English transliteration of the Russian name for the KGB. The name is labelled "Subject", to indicate that it is an official Library of Congress subject heading. You will also see that the subject heading is hotlinked. This is to make it easy for you to immediately run a new search in the WebPAC on the "official" subject heading. All you have to do is click on the link for the subject heading. To see what this looks like, please click here.
Names of people and places can also be tricky. (Beijing, for example, used to be transliterated as Peking.) If you're having ANY trouble at all, please ask for help at the Reference Desk.
Identifying and Searching For Primary Sources in Library Catalogs
Click on the links provided below to see examples from the WebPAC, the Nazareth Library's catalog.
"Sources" - if the word "Sources" appears in the subject of a catalog record, the book contains primary source material.
"Personal narratives" in the subject indicates that the book contains memoirs or autobiographical material. Memoir, memoirs, autobiography or terms such as "my story" may also appear in the title of the book.
"Documents" or "documentary" in the title usually indicate that the book contains primary sources.
Limiting your search
A search for a term like
"Soviet Union" will give you literally hundreds of results. If you
have too many results (click here
for an example), and you would like to narrow your search, look for the command
button
at the top and bottom of the screen. Click on this button, and you will next
see a screen with options for limiting. Click here
if you would like to see what the limit screen looks like.
Suggested Subject Headings
Here are some Library of Congress subject headings to start you off - with suggestions for limiting.
BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA YUGOSLAV WAR YUGOSLAVIA HISTORY CONCENTRATION CAMPS HOLOCAUST FASCISM GERMANY, limited by words in the subject 1933 NATIONAL SOCIALISM (Note: Use this in place of Nazism.) COLLECTIVIZATION OF AGRICULTURE RUSSIA SOVIET UNION SOVIET, limited by words in the subject 1928 SOVIET, limited by words in the subject 1936 SOVIET, limited by words in the subject 1953 SOVIET, limited by words in the subject purges UKRAINE, limited by words in the subject famine* (* = picks up plurals and other variations.) Note: Stalinism is not a Library of Congress subject heading. Search Stalinism under WORDS IN TITLES. FORCED LABOR LABOR CAMPS POLITICAL LABORS (For Soviet camps, try WORDS IN TITLES searches for gulag or Kolyma. Older materials may appear under the subject CONVICT LABOR subdivided by SOVIET UNION.) INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Try this as a WORDS IN TITLES search, too.) IRELAND, limited by words in the subject famine* (* = picks up plurals and other variations.)
Additional Library Catalogs
Roaring Cat
A good place to begin to expand your search is ROARing Cat. As mentioned previously, ROARing Cat covers the holdings of libraries within the five county area including and surrounding Rochester.
The Lavery Library at St. John Fisher College
Nazareth College undergraduates may also check books directly out of St. John Fisher's library. Directions on how to access Fisher's catalog over the Internet are provided on the Fisher library's website. You need your Nazareth College ID to check books out of St. John Fisher's library.
The Public Library (Monroe County Library System)
The Monroe County Library System is the local public library system. The public library, in addition to books, is frequently recommended as an alternative source of videorecordings. The main branch, known as "Central" or "Rundel", located in the city of Rochester, has many unique resources - including (Dr. Kneeland's students, take note!) local history resources.
If you are a resident of Monroe County, you can obtain a public library card at any branch. If you are live in the residence halls at Nazareth College, the public library considers you a resident of Monroe County, even if your permanent residence is located outside of Monroe County. To obtain a public library card, bring a photo ID (such as your driver's license) and a piece of mail or other paperwork that shows your campus address to the nearest branch.
The closest branch is located in the village of Pittsford. Click LIBRA now to access the public library's catalog.
Other area libraries
Undergraduates are welcome to use library materials in-house at other area college and university libraries. St. John Fisher College's library, however, is the only college library that allows Nazareth students to check books out.
More specialized libraries - such as museum libraries - may request or require permission for access.
To view a list of links to other area libraries' web pages, please click here.
Interlibrary Loan (ILLIAD)
ILLIAD, the Nazareth Library's web-based interlibrary loan service is a convenient way to obtain anything you need that the Nazareth Library does not own. For more information about ILLIAD, please see Borrowing Materials from Other Libraries section of the Services for Students page on the Library's official web site. To go directly to ILLIAD, please click here.
updated by JSB Monday, August 26, 2002