Library News for the Faculty

Get More from the UCLA Library Catalog

The new UCLA Library Catalog offers a number of features that provide users with more control in managing and customizing their searches and results. It also contains additional circulation status information and retrieval options that enable users to access new and recent acquisitions more quickly.

Limit By Location

Search results can be limited to items held in a specific library location. To apply this limit, click on the blue "Set Other Search Limits" button in the lower right-hand corner of the Basic or Advanced Search screens, select the locations desired, then click on the white "Set Limits" button at the bottom of the screen to return to the search screen. To select multiple locations, hold down the control button on the computer keyboard while clicking on the locations' names.

Other options on the search limits screen limit results by year, language, format, and place of publication. Note that limits should be set before entering search terms and that any limits will be applied to all searches until you click on the gray "Clear Limits" button.

My Preferences

Users can customize several elements of the search and display screens. Click on My Preferences at the top or bottom of the screen to see the options. Users can choose the Basic or Advanced Search screen as their initial display, the type of search the screen defaults to, and the number of records displayed on each page of results.

At the beginning of each search session, you will need to log in for your preferences to take effect, but they remain in place throughout the session until you change or clear them.

My Bookbag

The My Bookbag feature enables users to save search results from different searches conducted within the same search session and from one search session to another.

Items can be added to the bookbag from individual records or from lists of results. From an individual record, click on the "Save to Bookbag" button at the bottom of the screen. From a list of titles, click in the checkbox next to the item number at the left-hand side of the screen; when you have selected your desired titles, click on "Save to Bookbag." Log in with your library card number and last name, then the bookbag will display. To add more items during the same search session, select the items as described above, then click on "Save to Bookbag"; you will not have to re-enter your account information.

To view items in the bookbag, click on My Bookbag at the top or bottom of the screen. Items will remain in the bookbag until deleted by selecting specific titles, then clicking on the "Delete Selected Titles" button at the bottom of the screen, or by clicking on the "Clear Bookbag" button, which deletes all titles.

My Saved Searches

You can now save a particular search and repeat it at any time. To save a search, perform the search, then scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on the "Save Search Query" button; you will need to log in with your library card number and last name to complete the process.

To repeat the search during a subsequent search session, click on My Saved Searches at the top or bottom of the screen, then log in. To execute a saved search, click on the hotlinked entry in the Search Type or Search For column. To delete a saved search, click in the corresponding box in the Delete column on the left, then click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the screen.

This feature saves searches from one search session to another. However, you can view all searches conducted during the current search session by clicking on Search History at the top or bottom of the screen. From that screen you can edit, re-execute, or combine (advanced searches only) searches.

Items On Order or In Process

The catalog now contains information about items on order or being processed prior to being placed on the shelves. For items that have been ordered, the status "on Order" and a date appear in the line labeled Order Information. Once the item arrives, the status on that line reads "Received," also with a date.

Users can place requests for items that are on order or received. For items on order, the processing once the item arrives will be expedited, although it is not possible to expedite the order itself. For items that have been received, processing will be expedited. To place a request for an item on order or received, find the record for the item, click on Request an Item at the top or bottom of the screen, log in, then select the appropriate option on the drop-down menu.

Please note that this service can only be used for items that are on order or received; it cannot be used to retrieve items that are available, request items from another library, or recall items that are checked out.

For Further Information

If you have questions about the new UCLA Library Catalog, consult staff at public service desks in campus libraries or click on the "Help" or "Questions" links in the banner. Your library liaison can also provide assistance.