Basic Search (Catalog) (Sierra)

Owned by Lloyd Chittenden
Last updated: Jun 03, 2024
4 min read

Use the Catalog function to search for MARC and item records from all the Marmot members. Since this is a shared system, you will see the item records from all the libraries on shared bibliographic records. The Catalog function has searching indexes Title, Author, Journal Title, Keyword, Series Title, BIB UTIL, and ISN, among others. You can apply various limiters after you conduct a search.

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Searching for Items

Click on Catalog in the Function dropdown menu.

 

Select the index you would like to search; such for i ISN, t TITLE, etc.  You can pick any of the index searches from the dropdown menu.  Use the scroll bar to see more options.

MLN1:

  • Number Indexes

    • ISN (i) includes 010, 020, 022, 028, 074, and non-MARC ISBN/ISSN fields

    • UPC (j) includes 024

    • GOVT DOC # (g) includes non-MARC GOVT. DOC# (g)

    • BARCODE (b) includes item record barcode

    • RECORD # (.) includes record numbers of all record types

    • LC CALL NO (c)

    • DEWEY CALL NO (e)

    • LOCAL CALL NO (m)

  • Word Indexes

    • TITLE (t)

    • AUTHOR (a)

    • JOURNAL TITLE (s)

    • KEYWORD (X)

    • SERIES TITLE

    • SUBJECT

    •  

MLN2:

  • LCCN (l) includes 010

  • ISBN/ISSN (i) includes 020, 022, and non-MARC ISBN/ISSN fields

  • Other Number (v) includes 024, 028, 074, 910

  • Gov Doc Number (g) includes 086 and non-MARC GOVT.DOC# (g)

  • BARCODE (b) includes item record barcode

  • RECORD # (.) includes record numbers of all record types

 

There are many different ways to limit a search.  One option is to Limit by clicking on the plus sign next to Search.

 

This will bring up the Limit box.  You can add a variety of limiters here. By clicking on the box to “Apply limit to all searches,” the settings will stay until you change them or until you log out of Sierra. Without this checkbox the limit will only apply to the current search. Remember to click on “Apply.”

 

Depending on the index that was chosen, type in a search term or title, author, etc. In this example, we are using the index t Title and the search term “gardens.” At the bottom of the page is a list of titles that start with “gardens.” 

 

This is the Compact Browse view. This is the recommended setting for cataloging. https://marmot-support.atlassian.net/l/cp/XTLBA094 Titles that are the same are collapsed into a single line. They can be expanded by clicking on the + sign next to the title. Hits on this page will be a mix of bib records and authority records. Also, the entry on this list is the record’s primary title, while you will get hits based on various other titles in the record, such as variant titles or chapter titles, so it is not always immediately clear why an entry appears on this list.

 

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Limiting – Format, Language, Locations, and Phrase

On the sidebar is your results page with more ways to limit a search.  You can limit by Format, Language, Locations, Availability and phrases.  

Click on the white arrows to expand or shrink each section of limiters.  Available at Library is the difference between all the items and items that are not physically at the library such as EBOOKS, DOWNLOADABLE materials, and ELECTRONIC RESOURCES.  As well, the On Order titles with no items attached, Library Use Only, Display, Missing, On Holdself, In-transit, Checked out, Not holdable for your patron, or Billed items that will have the words “Not Available” and will not be in Available at Library.     

Actual entries (rather than groups) will have a dark arrow to the left. Double click on an entry to bring up the full record.

The display you get will depend on your settings in View Record Properties. https://marmot-support.atlassian.net/l/cp/r1CHLGcu You can set that up to get the MARC record, item records, order records, serials records or holds. You might change it depending on your primary job. For cataloging you would want to see the MARC record.

You are likely to want to see multiple MARC records so you can compare them. To see more than one record you need to have multi window mode turned on. https://marmot-support.atlassian.net/l/cp/UX2x4XVP Each time you open a record it will open a separate window allowing you go back to the hit list and open another one.

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