Locating Books

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NovaCat |  NetLibrary | 

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NovaCat


Introduction

NovaCat is the online library catalog for all NSU libraries including:

NovaCat identifies the holdings of all NSU-affiliated libraries. It provides detailed information on:

  • books
  • periodicals (journals, magazines & newspapers)
  • dissertations
  • audiovisual items (CDs, DVDs, audiotapes, videotapes, etc.)
  • CD-ROMs
  • eBooks
  • websites
  • specialty items (LeapPads, test kits, etc.)
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Keywords Searching

To perform a keyword search in NovaCat

  • select the Keyword tab
  • enter keywords that best describe your topic
    • searches may include and/or statements
      examples: child or juvenile, speech and disorder
    • searches may include words derived from the same root
      example: child* would search for child, children, child’s
  • click the Submit button


Keyword search in NovaCat.

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Author Searching

To perform an author search in NovaCat

  • select the Author tab
  • enter the author's or artist's name last name first
    • the first name or initial may be added following a comma
         shakespeare, william
         angelou, m
    • ignore titles or ranks such as: Sir, Doctor, President, Jr.
    • government bodies, organizations, and companies may be used as authors
         American Psychological Association
         American Speech Language Hearing Association
  • click the Submit button


Author search in NovaCat.

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Title Searching

To perform a title search in NovaCat

  • select the Title tab
  • enter the exact title
    • do not need to type articles (the, a, an) at the beginning of the title, but you must include them within the title
      example: Taming of the Shrew, Handbook of speech pathology
    • if it is a long title, you may leave off the last few words
      example: Florida Directory
      in place of: Florida Directory of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment, Intervention and Prevention Programs
  • click the Submit button

Title search in NovaCat.
Title search in NovaCat.

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Subject Searching

To perform a subject search in NovaCat

  • select the Subject tab
  • select a subject classification:
    • Library of Congress.
      (Used by: Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, Law Library)
    • Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
      (Used by: HPD Library)
    • Children's Subject Headings (LC Children’s and Sears Subject Headings).
      (Used by: University Schools and the Children's and Young Adult Collections within the Alvin Sherman Library)
  • enter the subject
    example: speech therapy
  • click the Submit button

Select a subject classification.
Select a subject classification.

Library of Congress subject search in NovaCat.
Library of Congress subject search in NovaCat.

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Search Results

Search results will vary. If you get:

  • No records matched your search, then check your spelling or the fields you searched in.
  • Too many, then go back and limit your search. Sometimes a search needs to be modified with: additional search words, searching only a specific field, adding date limitations, or type of materials.
  • Too few, then go back and expand your search. Consider synonyms for your search words or concepts. Try to use professional language or terminology.
  • Irrelevant results, then try new search terms. Consider synonyms or related concepts. Identify and search using descriptors. Try a different database.

Some tips about NovaCat search results

  • NovaCat displays the first 12 results that match a search
  • use the Next Page or Previous Page buttons to move through the results
  • click on a title to see a full record
  • Keyword searches will display a list of titles that contain your search terms                                   
  • Author searches will display a list of authors that match your search terms                                   
  • Title searches will display a list of titles that match your search terms                                          
  • Subject searches will display a list of subjects that match your search terms

A full record will identify an item's

  • location
  • call number
  • status         
                                                   
Results of a keyword search in NovaCat
Results of a keyword search in NovaCat. Shows 1-12.

Full record in NovaCat.
Full record in NovaCat.

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Additional Features

Users can check to see what books they have checked out from the NSU libraries and renew their books online if they are not overdue or on hold for another user. Go to Renew your Items and log on.

Local users can place an interlibrary loan journal article or book request from the NovaCat main page. This feature is NOT available for distance users. Instead, please use the online Document Delivery request forms found at: http://www.nova.edu/library/serv/docdel/ .

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This database may be accessed from the Electronic Resources Section of the Alvin Sherman Library website.

Search results will vary. If you get:

  • No records matched your search, then check your spelling or the fields you searched in.
  • Too many, then go back and limit your search. Sometimes a search needs to be modified with: additional search words, searching only a specific field, adding date limitations, or type of materials.
  • Too few, then go back and expand your search. Consider synonyms for your search words or concepts. Try to use professional language or terminology.
  • Irrelevant results, then try new search terms. Consider synonyms or related concepts. Identify and search using descriptors. Try a different database.

Results lists
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NetLibrary


Introduction

Access thousands of electronic books through NetLibrary. Electronic books can be accessed via the NovaCat online catalog or directly via NetLibrary. NetLibrary enables users to access electronic versions (eBooks) of academic, reference, and scholarly books.

Use NetLibrary to

  • search for eBooks by keyword, author, title, or subject
  • view the eBooks online
  • make notes in eBooks
  • print or copy a limited numbers of pages – NetLibrary's copyright protection technology prevents entire eBooks from being printed out or from being electronically copied and distributed to others

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Accounts & Accessing

This database may be accessed from the Electronic Resources Section of the Alvin Sherman Library website.

You can search and view the full-text of eBooks without a personal NetLibrary account, however, to use all the features of NetLibrary, you will need a NetLibrary account. A NetLibrary account allows you to add personal notes to an eBook and customize your search preferences.

To create a NetLibrary account (this only needs to be done once):

  • access NetLibrary
  • select the Sign In link located at the top of the screen


  • Sign In

  • select the Create a new account link


  • Creating a new account

  • complete the account form and select the Save Changes button


  • Complete account form

  • you will receive a confirmation email message from NetLibrary

To use NetLibrary in subsequent sessions

  • access NetLibrary
  • log in to your NetLibrary account

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Searching

Search NetLibrary for eBooks by

  • title
  • author
  • full text
  • keyword
  • subject
  • publisher
  • ISBN

NetLibrary defaults to a Basic Search. The Advanced Search offers more searching options.

To construct a search in NetLibrary

  • click on Advanced Search
  • type search terms in the entry box to the right of a field name – use the Keyword field if you are unsure of which field to use
  • click the search button

Advance searching

Advanced Search in NetLibrary.


In the Advanced Search, you can also limit your search using various criteria.

To limit by year of publication:

  • select a month and year, or select using a date range using the drop-down arrow
  • Limit by publication year

    Limit to Publication Year in NetLibrary.

To limit by language:

  • scroll through the menu, and click on the desired language
  • select more than one language by holding down the control key while clicking on the desired languages

Limiting by language

Limit by Language in NetLibrary.

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Search Results

Search results will vary. If you get:

  • No records matched your search, then check your spelling or the fields you searched in.
  • Too many, then go back and limit your search. Sometimes a search needs to be modified with: additional search words, searching only a specific field, adding date limitations, or type of materials.
  • Too few, then go back and expand your search. Consider synonyms for your search words or concepts. Try to use professional language or terminology.
  • Irrelevant results, then try new search terms. Consider synonyms or related concepts. Identify and search using descriptors. Try a different database.

Some tips about NetLibrary search results

  • by default, results are sorted by relevance ranking. You can change the order by selecting a different Sort by option.
  • eBook search results

    eBook search results in NetLibrary.

    • click on the eBook Full Text link to open and view the eBook
    • Viewing an eBook
      Viewing an eBook in NetLibrary

    • as long as you are actively viewing the eBook (turning pages, doing full-text searches, etc.), you will continue to have access to the eBook. Otherwise, after 15 minutes of inactivity, your NetLibrary session will automatically terminate.
    • if you've logged in with a personal account, remember to log out when you leave NetLibrary, to protect your personal information.

    Please note that the Checkout option has been discontinued in NetLibrary. You may no longer download eBooks to view offline.

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Printing & Copying Text

To print

  • select the "print icon" located on the right-side of the eBook reader

Printing an entire eBook violates copyright laws. NetLibrary's monitoring software detects suspicious usage patterns indicative of excessive printing or copying. The software will log the activity and send the user a copyright warning.

 


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Last updated: 04/04/2011