USMLSearch: The New Library Catalog System
The USML Library has a new online library search system! This brief guide will outline the basics about using the new library catalog, USMLSearch, to become a fast and effective user of the USML Library's significant number of resources.
Our new online library catalog system is distinctive from its precursor in that it serves as an all-in-one stop intuitive search option for most of our library resources, print and electronic, including the USML Library's own collection of:
as well as most of our content from external research databases such as:
What am I searching?
How and where should I search?
USMLSearch is an excellent tool for searching multiple library resources from one discovery interface. The search bar at the top the home page provides you with six drop-down options to perform searches, from which you can select by clicking on the magnifying glass to the right of the search box or by just typing in a search word. These options are:
The tabs above the search bar allow for additional types of search options. The one labeled Library Search initiates any new searches. The tab labeled Journals Search enables you to search a vast number of electronic journals by title or through browsing academic disciplines or fields of study.
While USMLSearch can be used by anyone without signing in, it is highly recommended that you do so as this will enable you to locate even more resources and better manage your research through setting up your own personal account for:
**All USML students, faculty, and staff can sign-in to USMLSearch using their USML username and password.
Filters of the left-hand column of the search screen are key to refining your search results. Items can be sorted and filtered by nature of availability or access, subject heading, author/creator. publication date, language, resource type, and institution at which they are held. Filters can be added, deleted, and reset as necessary.
This option, which is only available when searching under All Resources or Electronic Resources, will expand your search results to include electronic resources that are not available in full-text format.
Activating a button labeled Personalize at the top of the first page of your search results will enable you to more sharply focus your search on your preferred academic disciplines by selecting up to five of those that are listed as well as giving preference to newer material.
An Advanced Search link on the right-hand side of the search bar allows you to add search terms and narrow or filter your searches by title, author/creator, subject, material type, language, date range, etc.
For individual book records, the Virtual Browse feature allows you to browse and access the records for books that appear next to this item on the actual library shelf in sequential card catalog order.
An advanced research tool in searching journal articles that enables you to find related articles and explore the topic of the base article further. If citations are available for a particular article, they can be found in the Citations section on the record's Full Display page. Related citations can be either those that are cited in the article you're searching or that cite this article. Clicking on one of these citation links will take you to the list of related citations, where you can also see the path of citations you've selected above the results list. From this list of citations, you can click on another record's citation link to extend your chain of citations.
Allows signed-in users to set and receive e-mail alerts when there are any updates to a selected saved search query.
Don't know what you want, where to start, or how to find it?
As with the knowledge of any new system, becoming proficient with using USMLSearch will likely require some experience and practice. This can also be a fairly complex search system. It is vastly different in its structure, scope, and premises from our previous online catalog, and it provides a lot more content. It is especially strong in the provision of electronic resources, which may be of particular importance in this academic year. The library staff and I will therefore be happy to assist you with any questions or concerns you have in familiarizing yourself and working with this new mode of library research and study. Feel free to contact us at anytime.
USMLSearch remains a work in progress, so we will be providing regular updates and refinements in making this an optimal educational resource for the entire USML community. We hope that you will come to see this new research tool as a tremendous boon to academic study and scholarship at USML.
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The training guides and videos that follow are intended to provide a fundamental foundation for utilizing the various aspects of this library search catalog system. Click on any of these links to access relevant information.
Note: The designers of this system, Ex Libris, have entitled it Primo VE. We have chosen to to name our version USMLSearch as more befitting and conducive to its use by our institution. The materials presented here, while referring to this catalog system as Primo VE, follow the same principles, practices, and procedures as ours does.
