Boolean

In Boolean searching, multiple terms (words or phrases) must be combined by the Boolean operators (AND, OR, or NOT). There is no adjacency operator.

Command keyword searching is also available in the Boolean search type. In Command you may use "index codes." The codes are four-character terms such as GKEY or 490A, used to identify the index in which you want the term to be searched. A complete list of available index terms and brief MARC definitions is in available in the guide to command keywords. Parentheses can be used to provide logic to the search by grouping terms and operators.

The Builder tab provides a guided means of constructing a Boolean search. Search names are used instead of codes (e.g., "Keyword Anywhere" rather than GKEY).

Simply insert the search term in the "Search for" box, choose the index name from the drop down "Search in" box, and choose the appropriate Boolean operator by clicking on the box. A number of different search terms can be added together in this way. Boolean search results appear in a Titles Index list.

Sample searches

All are Boolean command searches. Their equivalents can be constructed using Builder.

Type of data	Data	Button	Search for
Series title and number	FAO farm systems management series ; 10	Boolean	seri "farm systems" and seri 10
Author and title	Kotey, Paul A. / English-Twi dictionary	Boolean	nkey paul and tkey twi
490	Pilgrimage series	Boolean	490A "pilgrimage series"
Title word	L’économie	Boolean	tkey leconomie
Subject terms	Turkish or Turkic	Boolean	skey turki?
Name used in LC record	James Patterson	Boolean	040A dlc and nkey james and nkey patterson
Variant romanizations	Rimskii or Rimski or Rimsky	Boolean	nkey (rimskii or rimski or rimsky)

Searching Tips

• Search codes, search terms, and boolean operators may be entered in either upper or lower case.
• Phrases (words that are to be found together in a specified order) must be enclosed in quotes. A quoted phrase is treated as a single search term. Note that words in quotes must be in the record that way in the same subfield. Hyphenated words must be entered in quotes.
• Enter only one search term on either side of a Boolean operator. Boolean operators and index codes should not be used in Free Text searches.
• Omit diacritics and punctuation from search terms and close up any space that would have been occupied by the diacritic or punctuation.