The University of Malaya Library

1. To begin searching, type a term in the search box under Quick Search.
2. To narrow your search, select one of the following options before clicking the Search button. Some systems may require that you click an option button, such as Author or Title, to begin your search.
• Words or phrase
• Author
• Title
• Subject
• Periodical title
3. Select a library branch or catalog to search in the Library or Catalog box, or select ALL to include all branches or catalogs in the search.
4. You can redo a search you've already done by selecting it from the Previous Searches box.

If a list of catalog records displays, you can select Details to view more information about a particular record. If the search located only one matching catalog item, the full catalog record or web resource record automatically displays. If there is no direct match for the search term entered, a browse list displays.

Advanced Search combines search elements for the purpose of narrowing down a search based on certain criteria. A browse list of specified terms can be produced, or a call number search can also be performed. Searches can include a single word or several words with operators and special punctuation.

Combining search elements

Search elements can be combined using Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT, XOR). Words or phrase search can be combined with author, title, subject, series and periodical title searches.

How to search by Call Number

Searching by Call Number will retrieve the exact record and bibliographic information can then be obtained. Searching by class number will retrieve records in the same subject area.

Advanced Search Operators

Boolean Operators

Boolean Operators (AND, NOT, OR, XOR) may be used to locate records containing matching terms in one of the specified fields, both of the specified fields or all of the specified fields.

• Use AND to locate records containing all of the specified search terms eg. if a search is conducted under "dogs AND cats", records containing all of the specified terms will be retrieved.
• Use OR to locate records matching any or all of the specified terms eg. if a search is conducted under "dogs OR cats", records containing either the first search term or the second will be retrieved.

• Use NOT to locate records containing the first search term but not the second eg. if a search is conducted under "dogs NOT cats", records containing the first search term but not the second will be retrieved.
• Use XOR (exclusive or) to locate records matching any of the specified terms but not all of the specified terms eg. if a search is conducted under "dogs XOR cats", records matching any one of the specified terms will be retrieved but records with both words will be omitted.

Positional Operators

Positional operators (SAME, WITH, NEAR, ADJ) will locate records that are in close proximity within the same bibliographical record. Positional operators can be used to connect words or phrase within a search field but not between search fields.

• Use SAME to locate records containing all of the specified terms eg. if a search is conducted under "Chicago SAME history', only records contaning both "Chicago" and "history" within the same bibliographic field will be retrieved.
• Use WITH to locate records containing a sentence with all of the specified terms eg. if a search is conducted under "Chicago WITH history", only records containing both "Chicago" and "history" in the same sentence in a bibliographic field will be retrieved from this search.
• Use NEAR to locate records containing all of the search terms next to each other; however, the order of the terms does not have to match the order they were entered eg. if a search is conducted under "Chicago NEAR history", only records with the terms "Chicago" and "history" next to each other within the same bibliographic field would be retrieved from this search. "Chicago" or "history" could be displayed first in the field.
• Use ADJ to locate records containing all of the search terms adjacent to each other and in the order they were entered eg. if a search is conducted under "Chicago ADJ history", only records with the terms "Chicago" and "history" adjacent to each other within the same bibliographic field and with "Chicago" listed first in this field would be retrieved from this search.
• In addition, a number to the positional operators NEAR and ADJ may be appended to limit or broaden the proximity between words. For example, "FROM ADJ1 HERE ADJ2 ETERNITY" shows how to search for the title, "From Here to Eternity." ADJ2 means that the words may be within two searchable words of each other, but they must be in the order they were entered.

Relational Operators

Relational operators (<, >, =, <>, <=, >=) will allow a search be conducted with numeral expressions. Use relational operators by enclosing a field name or entry tag number in braces {}, then typing a relational operator and number eg. if "{DATE}<991022" is typed, SirsiDynix Symphony searches for records whose Date field contains values less than 991022.

Operator Precedence

When the search expression consists of a combination of terms, the order in which these terms are searched can be defined. If two operators are at the same level in the list, the system will search the term at the left, then moves right. Refer to the following list for operator precedence, with the highest listed first.

=, <>, <, <=, >, >=, NEAR, ADJ, WITH, SAME, AND, NOT, XOR, OR