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Help with Acorn

Searching for: Authors

In library cataloging, the term author is used in a broad sense to include editors, playwrights, directors, composers, artists, etc. Also included are corporate authors, the government agency, institution, association, etc. in whose official name a publication is issued.

If you are sure of at least the correct spelling of the author's last name (and first name, if the last name is a common one):

Use Basic Search;
Select Author Begins with;
Click the Search button.
Acorn will send you to the most appropriate location in an alphabetical listing of all authors in the database.

If you are uncertain of the author's name:

Use Basic Search;
Select Author Keyword;
Click the Search button.

Use Advanced Search Options: Keyword;
Select Author from the drop-down menu;
Click the Search button.

Acorn will search the index of all titles in the database and return a set of items that matches the search you entered.

Searching for: Titles

In most cases, the title in Acorn is the title exactly as it appeared on the title page of the copy of the book this library owns. Works that are very frequently published, such as "classic" novels and important musical compositions, may be given a uniform title to simplify finding all copies of the work.

If you are sure of at least the beginning words of the title of the item:

Use Basic Search;
Select Title Begins with;
Drop initial articles (a, an the, el, le, la ... )
Click the Search button.
Acorn will send you to the most appropriate location in an alphabetical listing of all titles in the database.

If you are uncertain of the exact title of an item:

Use Basic Search;
Select Title Keyword;
Click the Search button.

Use Advanced Search Options: Keyword;
Select Title from the drop-down menu;
Click the Search button.

Acorn will search the index of all titles in the database and return a set of items that matches the search you entered.

Searching for: Periodical Titles

Although the official title of a periodical is the only guaranteed entry in Acorn, whenever possible, the catalog records for periodicals include alternate titles and common title abbreviations.

If you are sure of at least the beginning words of the title of the periodical:

Use Basic Search;
Select Periodical Title Begins with;
Drop initial articles (a, an the, el, le, la ... )
Click the Search button.
Acorn will send you to the most appropriate location in an alphabetical listing of all periodical titles in the database.

If you are uncertain of the exact title of the periodical:

Use Basic Search;
Select Periodical Title Keyword;
Click the Search button.

Use Advanced Search Options: Keyword;
Select Periodical Title from the drop-down menu;
Click the Search button.

Acorn will search the index of all titles in the database and return a set of items that matches the search you entered.

Searching for: Subjects

In order to make finding all items on a similar topic easier, most items in Acorn have been given one or more subject headings by library cataloging staff.

If you know the official subject heading:

Use Basic Search;
Select Subject Begins with or Medical Subject Begins with;
Click the Search button.
Acorn will send you to the most appropriate location in an alphabetical listing of all subject headings.

If you want to use words you select to define and describe the subject you are interested in:

Use Basic Search;
Select Words Anywhere;
Click the Search button.

Use Advanced Search Options: Keyword;
Select Words Anywhere from the drop-down menu;
Click the Search button.

Acorn will search all of the indexed fields in the database and return to you a set of items that matches the search you entered.

If your keyword search identifies useful items, try following one of the hyperlinked subject headings to see other items on that subject.