How to Find Stuff

[HomeInMyShoes]

So what are everybody's tips and tricks for finding things? From using the libraries on-line tools to browsing in the libraries themselves to the rest of the Internet.

[HomeInMyShoes]

When I search the library on-line I almost never use the basic search. I almost always just directly go to the SILS search screen.

SILS

What this gives me is all of the handy metadata assigned to the books that are found like the old library Website. So I can find the English books and the format (book/ebook) I am looking for.

The other nice feature is you can filter it down to the location you want so you know what to look for when you head to the library. So when your son says they want to go to the Bothwell and not the Central library, you know what you will find on the shelves.

Of course, I do enjoy the serendipity of just randomly picking a shelf and looking for what stands out to me.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Buried in the depths of the electronic resources is something called Novelist K-8 Plus and Novelist Plus. One is for younger readers and one is for us adults, unless you're like me and read some kids books too.

So click on the Explore menu, then on the right there is a See Also option underneath Digitall Services. You'll find the Novelist links way down. There's a lot of stuff and this is a useful thing that is pretty hidden.

Anyway, it lets you select some options and find books which is good, but what I found really great is I could type in the search something like "Ghana" and then click the Authors tab and get some ideas for authors that have either writeen about Ghana or, more importantly, were born in Ghana that the library actually has!