Catalog / Catalogue

What is a catalog?

A catalog is a systematic list of anythingpersons or objects.

Synonyms for Catalog• Directory• Bibliography• Index• Compilation / list / checklist• Manifest / register • Systematic list of items with descriptive

details… e.g. library card catalogs

SterlingHoward University’s online catalog

A systematic list with descriptive details:

• Books / bound journals

• Films / videos / d v d / audio recordings

• Microfilms / microfiche

• Newspapers and periodicals

• Maps and atlases / and more…

To search Sterling

• Go to the library’s home page

• http://www.howard.edu/library/

Library’s Home pageSterling is in Red under Search

Welcome to the Access Page

Our Topic

• Interracial Adoption in the United States

How can we search on Sterling?

• According to the access page there are several options.

• For our purposes we will search by:

• Keyword

• Subject

What are our keywords?And synonyms

Topic: Interracial Adoption in the United States

_______________

Keywords:Interracial / Biracial / Race / Multiracial

Transracial

Adoption

United States / US / America

Always use keywords with a Boolean operator

• Introduction to Boolean Logic.

• George Boole / British mathematician

• And

• OR

• Not

Function of Boolean Operators

• And… will narrow the search.

• Or… when used with a synonym will expand the search.

• Not… will exclude any word that follows it.

On the access page

• Select keyword

• Type in Adoption

• Results: 279 titles

Results Page

Narrow the search

• Which Boolean operator should we use?

And… it narrows

Type… “and race”

Search: Adoption and race

Result: 21 titles

Results ScreenNarrowing the search with “and”

Results Page narrowing the search with “and”

The Power of And cont’d

• Adoption and race and… Africa

• Adoption and race and… Great Britain

• Adoption and race and… South America

• Adoption and race and… Jamaica

_________

Adoption and race and America

Results… 5titles

Book record showing subject headings at the bottom

Select subject headingfrom list

• Interracial Adoption – United States

Results:17 articles based on Interracial Adoption – United States