How do I... find books?
MSU Libraries:
- Search RACERtrac for items owned by MSU Libraries
- Basic Search (when you know what you need)
- Search by Title, Author, and Subject
- Title Alphabetical: Leave off "a," "an," and "the" at the beginning of titles
- Author Browse: Enter last name first (ex. Asimov, Isaac)
- Subject: The most efficient way to search by subject
- Keyword Anywhere (Relevancy ranked)
- Always finds something, but items are not always related to your subject.
- Allows some search limits (ex. collection, publication date).
- Advanced Search (when you want to combine terms/subjects)
- Set limits before searching (collection, publication date, etc.)
- Enter terms/keywords
- Select "as a phrase," "all of these," or "any of these" for each line
- Select record field you want to search (author, subject, title, etc.).
- Combine search lines with "and," "or," or "not."
- Important information to note from RACERtrac
records:
- Location of item (circulation, reference, media, etc.)
- Complete call number (the "shelf address") of the item
- Availability (available, checked out, etc.)
Other Libraries: Search WorldCat to find books from other libraries
- Located under Catalogs on the library's home page or under Databases A-Z
- If interested, click "Libraries" button within the individual book record to see if the item is owned by Kentucky or neighboring state libraries. This willl indicate faster availability.
- Use the
icon to interlibrary loan directly from WorldCat item record screen.
- If you need help...
- Ask a librarian:
- Ask at the Reference Desk.
- Call the Reference Desk at (270)809-2053 or toll-free 1-866-774-6612 during library hours.
- E-mail reference questions to reference@murraystate.edu
