1. Part 1: Using the Online
Catalog

2. • Find books, videos, DVDs and more using the
Library Catalog.
• Locate items by author, title or subject.
• Examine your results to find useful material.
Ready, set, go! Begin this assignment by visiting
the Palomar College Library website.
http://www.palomar.edu/library

3. Starting at the Library homepage, click on the link to the
Catalog near the top of the page.

4. You can search the Catalog by subject, by a
particular author, or for a specific title.
The simplest way to search for books and other
items on a particular subject is to do a keyword
search, like the example below shows.

5. If your topic combines more than one concept, such as “the
effects of poverty on education”, put AND between your
search terms.
To complete the search, click on “everything” or just push
enter. (It’s usually not effective to click on “subject” when
you are just starting your research. That will come a little
later.)

6. A set of results will come up. When you see a book
or other item that looks useful, click on its details to
see more information.

7. Here is some information you can expect to find in the
details for an item:
• Title
• Author
• Call Number
• Type of resource (book, eBook, video-recording,
etc.)
• Where it’s located (San Marcos, Escondido,
online, etc.)
• Publication information
You might also find book reviews, summaries, lists of
content, chapter titles, and an image of the book
jacket. These will all help you to decide if this item will
be useful for your research.

8. Once you’ve found an item that looks relevant,
check the record to see what other subjects are
listed. You can click on a subject heading to find a
more focused set of results.

9. To search for books by a particular author, simply
type his/her name into the search box and click on
author.

10. When you need to find a specific book, video or
DVD, and know the title, find it by selecting the
Browse button, type the title into the box, and click
on title.

11. This will bring up an alphabetic list of titles. Select
the one you want from the list by clicking on it.

12. Call Numbers
When you find a book you’d like to read, check the
location and write down the call number. A call number is
like the address for a book. It tells you where the book is
located in the bookshelves. Here are some examples of
book titles and call numbers:
TITLE CALL NUMBER
100% student success LB2343.3 .S664 2007
Interracial America : E184 .A1 I593 2006
opposing viewpoints
Serpent of the Nile : GV 1704.B86 1998
women and dance in the
Arab world

13. The call number is located directly under
“Holdings.” It consists of a series of letters and
numbers that was assigned according to its
subject matter.

14. RECAP
Use the library catalog to find:
•Books
•DVDs
•Videos
Search for items by:
•Subject
•Author
•Title
NOW YOU DO IT! Please proceed to Test #1.