Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: Computer Training Programs

ONLINE TUTORIALS

MultiSearch

What is MultiSearch?

MultiSearch is a revolutionary way to search for the information you need! Find books, audiovisual materials, journal or newspaper articles, reference book excerpts and other documents with a single search.

In the past, one had to search the library’s catalog and databases separately. Furthermore, each and every database had to be searched individually. With MultiSearch, you can search the library’s catalog AND as many databases as you like, simultaneously.

There are two ways to get started.

Enter words that describe the subject in which you are interested in the “Quick Search” box on the library’s home page to get fast and reliable information from the library’s catalog and website, and two of our most popular reference databases, World Book Online and Masterfile Premier. Only full-text database article will be included.

OR
Click the link to “databases” on the library's home page.

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Performing Searches: Basic Search

Visit the B&ECPL’s home page at www.buffalolib.org and click on databases.

Enter Word(s) to Search

In the search box, enter a word, words or phrase that describe what you are looking for.

Click in the check box to limit the search to full-text results only.
Click in the check box to include the Library’s catalog in the search.

Select a database(s) or category to search

From the categorized search page, select a category to search multiple databases in the same general subject area.
To add a specific database to your search, click in the box next to the database name.
If the check box that appears next to the name of the database is grayed out, that database in NOT available from your location. Click on the name of the database for more information or ask a librarian for details.
If an asterisk appears next to the name of the database, this database cannot be searched through MultiSearch. Click on the name of the database for access information.
To delete a checked database from your search, click in the box next to the database name to uncheck it.
To read more about a database’s content or to search that database in its original search interface, click the name of the database.

Begin Searching

Once you have entered search terms and selected databases, click on the “Search” button.
To clear the search form and begin again, click the “Reset” button.

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Performing Searches: Advanced Search

Click on the “Advanced Search” tab. In the search boxes, enter a word, words or phrase that describe what you are looking for. To search for a phrase, put quotation marks “” around two or more words that must be found together.

Search Fields

To limit the search to a specific search field, choose from the following options:

Keyword - A keyword search locates search words wherever they appear in any indexed area (author,
publication, subject, title or text).
Author - An author field search works best when some of an author’s name is known. A list of titles by the author will be displayed.
Publication - A publication field search works best when the name of the publication is known. A list of article titles from a particular publication will be displayed.
Subject - A subject field search works best when one or more of the recognized subject words is known. A list
of titles that include the matching subject words will be displayed.
Article Title - A title field search works best when some of a title’s words are known. A list of titles that include the matching title words will be displayed.