Search Methods in Pika

Owned by Tammy Poquette, created
Last updated: Apr 12, 2023 by Ashley Sneesby
8 min read

This documentation outlines methods for searching in Pika and how metadata in the underlying catalog impacts search options and displays in Pika.

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Search Specification Types

The default search specification type will be by Keyword, but you can also search by Title, Start of Title, Series, Author, and Subject.

Keyword

Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title.

Keyword searching may bring up titles that have the search term in the description and not just the title. For this reason, it might be better to use the title or subject search.

Title

A title search is searching against all the title fields in a record. The catalog constructs a query with the search phrase that you use and the resulting query is sent to the search engine. 

  • First, the catalog will search by an exact title that matches only if the entire title is found.  

  • Second, the catalog will search for the start of the title that matches your search query.

  • Third, the catalog will search the generic title field that matches your search query. A generic title is constructed by the cataloger to collect works by a prolific author.

  • Fourth, the catalog will search for an alternate title field that is derived from a field in the MARC record.

  • Fifth, the catalog will search by title proper, that is the exact match without stemming. The system knows that words come in multiple forms and the person searching could want a match on any of those forms. 

  • Sixth, the catalog will search against series titles. First, it will match the series title without stemming. Next, it will be a regular series search. Lastly, in a MARC record, there is a field that has series information that is not the main series tag. 

Start of Title

Searches against the title fields in records. A Start of title search allows you to search for titles by using just a few words. 

Series

When a bibliographic record contains series information that information can be searched in Pika. The information is derived from shared MARC data points, such as subject heading as well as information derived from NoveList.

Author

You can search for the author by first name last name or last name first name. Please note that Pika uses the first author MARC field that is populated in the record. Pika generally references the 1XX fields for the author, though there are some other fields that might be referenced e.g. 700, 710. The Preferred Grouping Author is the normalized author that should replace the source grouping author.

The grouping author for the grouping category Movie will be replaced with movie playtime length or duration within the nearest 10 minutes. You can use the Author search to search for movies/films for actors by name, since actors are often listed in the Contributor fields in the record.

Subject

A subject search is searching against the subject fields in the search engine. The subject entries may consist of general subject terms including names of events or objects, or use a word or phrase to describe the content or topic. See available subject facets to see the fields of the MARC record where subjects are located.

  • First, the catalog searches the subject field of a record.

  • Second, the catalog searches the topic field that includes either the personal name, the corporate name, the meeting name, the uniform title, the chronological term, and the topical term.

  • Third, the catalog searches the topic proper field that is the exact match without stemming.

  • Fourth, the catalog searches the geographic field for the geographic name. 

  • Fifth, the catalog searches the genre field. The genre of the title such as artistic composition, as in music or literature, is characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

  • Sixth, the catalog searches the era field that is the time span the title is about.

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Changing the Search Source Location Using the Dropdown Menu (If available)

Before you conduct a search (or after you have conducted a search), you can change where you find the items by using the dropdown menu. You can change from looking at items at your library to other collections depending on the dropdown menu options at your library. This dropdown may not be available at all libraries. The available options are  partially controlled by your Pika library settings.  

Note: When only one search source is available, the search source option will not display and you will only see the search specification type box.

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The Online Collection Search Source

Online Collection Search Source is a dropdown option under the search box. When a library uses the Online Collection Search Source their patrons would be searching their local library’s available or owned electronic collections first.  The next search might be another branch, or other schools, or a local library. If you are scoped to not see all titles by default, the repeat search in Consortium will allow you to see all titles. 

When you have a search source that shows Marmot, an online collection, or a specific library these are all searching the bibliographic catalog. 

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The Local Digital Archive Search Source

The Digital Archive is another search engine. When searching the Marmot Digital Archive the search specification type is disabled because you do not need the keyword, title, start of title, series, author, or subject search.   

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The Genealogy Records Search Source

Genealogy Records is another search engine that uses the genealogy database of records created by Marmot member libraries. The search specification type only lists Keyword and Name.

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External Search Sources

The OverDrive Digital Catalog is an external search that will bring people out of Pika and into the OverDrive site for each library.

The Prospector Catalog is an external search that will direct users out of Pika into the Prospector site.

Course Reserves is an external search that will direct users out of Pika into the Classic Catalog scope for each library that uses Course Reserves. 

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Library Specific Search Sources

This search source searches the catalog, but it searches a specific location based on settings at the location level.  

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Search Punctuation and Search Operators

You can search using quotation marks. Quoting search terms prevents stemming and ensures that words are in the order entered. Note: Searching is tuned for full matches and matches at the start of titles/authors, so The Giver will give different results than just searching Giver.

You can search using Boolean operators (AND/OR/NOT). Note: AND/OR/NOT searches can be done in the basic search if the Boolean operator is capitalized (cats NOT dogs, cats AND dogs, cats OR dogs).

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The Advanced Search option may be listed on your library’s search box, or it may be listed in a dropdown menu.

   

 

 

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Advanced Search Options

The advanced search has search tips, match terms, search for options, add search group, clear search, and optional filters.

Search Tips

Gives you help with advanced searching tips and search operators.           

Add Search Fields

The Search for boxes all have dropdowns. If you need to add another search term, you can use the Add Search fields to create one.

 

Add Search Group

This allows you to add another search group. You can remove the group. The Match for search terms (AND/OR/NOT) can be for all or any of the groups. 

 

Match

This allows you to choose the Boolean search term (AND/OR/NOT) for your advanced search.

Here is an example of a search that is using the Match term of AND/NOT and the Add Search Group. Click the Find button to start the search.

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After the searching, you can edit an Advanced search by clicking on the Edit This Advanced Search links. 

Optional Filters

This gives you a way to narrow your search even further. The optional filters can either match the facets located on the homepage of your Pika site, or include filters you would like to help your patrons use to narrow down their search. Use the dropdown menu to choose the information available for each filter.

You can clear the search at any time.

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