GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind).   http://finder.library.gatech.edu/

• The new GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) is an overlay to the Classic Catalog.   NextGeneration.
• Use the GT Catalog Catalog (Finder/VUFind) for
• Quick searches, to retrieve a few records on a topic (do not use for comprehensive traditional catalog searches, such as in-depth book searches)
• The new GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) has non-catalog records not in the Classic Catalog, such as SMARTech repository records, and selected locally loaded technical reports. Research Guides will be added later.
• GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) searching hints:  (a) Use quotes to search for phrases example: "Windows 2000 Server" (b) Use an * for wildcard searches example: biochem* will return biochemisty and biochemical; (c) AND, OR and NOT can be used for boolean logic; example: ((biomedical AND engineering) NOT nuclear); Boolean operators must be ALL CAPS.
• Use the Classic Catalog for comprehensive searches of "catalog" records (journals, books, and cataloged government documents).  Classic Catalog searches may retrieve additional, relevant traditional "catalog" records missed by searches using the GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind).  Use the Classic Catalog for journal name searches.
• Georgia Tech doctoral and masters dissertations and theses should be in all three of these databases: the SMARTech repository, the GT Catalog, and the Classific Catalog.  Unfortunately, there can be a significant delay in including them into the Classic Catalog. Check SMARTech if the GT dissertation/thesis is not in the Classic Catalog. Recent GT dissertations/theses may appear in the GT Catalog before they are input into the Classic Catalog.
• There may be a delay in inputting records into the GT Catalog from the Library's small locally loaded government technical reports collection. These locally loaded records are not listed in the Classic Catalog.
• Sort problems in the GT Catalog.  Recent electronic book catalog records may be listed at the end of a date sorted list in the GT Catalog.  Date sorts in the Classic Catalog ordinarily will produce correctly date sorted lists.
• Searches in the Classic Catalog can produce additional records, compared to the same search in the GT Catalog, with the exception of recent GT dissertations/theses.

• The Classic Catalog contains books, journals, conference proceedings, maps, many government documents and other materials owned by the Georgia Tech Library.  Patents and most technical reports are not in the Catalog.
• Classic Catalog slide examples used in class presentations are at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/2gil.pdf
• Detailed Classic Catalog Searching the Classic Catalog Tip Sheet
• Georgia Tech project reports (technical research reports from GTRI and academic departments).  For recent unclassified Georgia Tech project reports not listed in the Catalog, contact Records Management.  Recent Georgia Tech project reports are available electronically, or in hard copy in Records Management remote storage (one copy).  Most older Georgia Tech project reports are in the Main Library and Archives (two copies).  Selected GT project reports are available electronically in the Catalog "Get fulltext copy" ("Electronic Version") Online field.

• Use the Classic Catalog "Exact Search" screen for exact word-for-word phrases, left anchored. Do not use initial articles ("The").
• Copy and paste journal "ISSN" numbers from databases such as Inspec and Compendex records to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "ISSN (XXXX-XXXX)."
• Copy and paste the entire journal title to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "Journal Title * (e.g., Georgia Review)," if the ISSN number search is unsuccessful.
• Searching by Call Number is also possible using "Exact Search," choosing "Call Number" Browse.

• Use the "Keyword Search" screen for subject searches or author/title searches in the Classic Catalog.
• Leave out the keywords AND, OR, NOT and do not use quotation marks (" "). Searching the keywords and or not will result in zero records and the message "The system could not interpret your search statement."
• Truncation symbol is a question mark (?). Example: http? or aeronaut?   Truncation overflow is possible.
• "Narrow My Search," if used, can be applied before entering the search or from a results screen. You can narrow your search by publication date or by format, such as narrowing your search to Journals ("Serial (magazines, journals)").
• Use the drop down menu to narrow your search. "Any of these" is similar to OR. "All of these" is similar to AND. "As a phrase" is the third option.

• Recalls. A book checked out for 21+ days can be recalled by Circulation immediately. If a non-Reserve book is checked out less than 21days, a recall will be sent on the 22nd day.   Graduate and Undergraduate Borrowing Privileges -- See "Recalls:"
• Locates can be placed by Circulation for items not found for a prolonged period of time.

• Use the truncation symbol (?) when guessing journal abbreviations in the Keyword Search box (possible truncation overflow). Ask us for help.  The Library Service Desk 1st floor West has journal abbreviation reference books that convert journal abbreviations to complete titles.
• To limit a search to journals use "Serial (magazines, journals)" click on the "Narrow My Search" button (lower left corner of Classic Catalog search screen).
• Copy and paste the journal "ISSN" number from the database record (such as Inspec or Compendex records) into the "Exact Search" search box, choosing "ISSN (XXXX-XXXX)."
• If the ISSN number search is unsuccessful, and you have an exact journal title, copy and paste the complete, exact journal title (exact, word-for-word phrase, left anchored) to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "Journal Title * (e.g., Georgia Review)."
• Publication coverage, electronic and print.
• E-journal publication dates/volumes are listed in the Classic Catalog "Electronic Version: Get fulltext copy. Find It GT" Online field, after "Available from."  For example, you may need a 1991 volume of an e-journal, but the Library's e-journal subscription may not begin until 1995. The E-Journals list and Classic Catalog e-journal records contain aggregator e-journals with possible selective coverage and embargo date restrictions (EBSCOhost, ProQuest, GaleGroup, Factiva, Lexis Nexis, etc.).  Choose the Library subscription e-journal before the aggregator e-journal.
• Always check the years (holdings) of the Library's print subscription in the "Library has" fields -- Main Library, remote Storage, Recent issues.
• The Library's Classic Catalog contains records for print (hard copy) and electronic subscription, aggregator and open access journals.  Search the Classic Catalog to obtain print holdings (years/dates) in the "Library has:" fields.  Separate electronic and print records exist; print (hard copy) Classic Catalog records may be listed after the electronic journal records. A few Catalog records may have both electronic and print holdings in the same record.
• Title changes.  Each time a journal changes its name, there may be a separate Classic Catalog record for each title change. The Classic Catalog fields "Continued By" and "Continues" and "Split into" indicate title changes. Holdings information (years/volumes) is in the Classic Catalog print "Library has:" field and in the "Electronic Version: Get fulltext copy. Find It GT" -- "Available from" field.  Each "title change" record will have its own holdings information (years).
• Loose, non-bound "Recent Issues" are shelved on the 2nd floor east.
• The Classic Catalog print "Library Has:" fields indicate which print/hard copy journal volumes are owned by the library and shelved under the "Call Number." Separate print "Library has" holdings fields may be present for "Main Library" volumes, "Recent Issues" and remote "Storage" volumes (see below).
• Journals (periodicals) published before 1980 are housed in remote "Storage" or through ILLiad interlibrary loan.
• Catalog records provide access instruction for locating specific print journal volumes published through 1979.  Journals have been moved from in-house storage to remote storage, due to a serious mold problem
• If the Catalog record says "Location: Unavailable (request articles through your ILLIAD account)" -- request the journal article through interlibrary loan at http://illiad.library.gatech.edu/
• If the Catalog record does not indicate "Unavailable ... ILLiad account" -- request retrieval at the 1st floor west Library Services Desk. Note the Storage holdings field (Library has:). The specific pre-1980 journal volumes will be located in remote Storage (off-campus), if the Catalog record does not say "Unavailable .. ILLiad." Storage request form
• Volumes which are at the "Bindery" are indicated in the print "Status" field. Journals are not currently being bound, due to budgetary reasons.
• "Find It GT" works for most (but not all)  journal records (not for most conference proceedings or reports) in databases such as Inspec and Compendex.

• Searching for conference proceedings in the Catalog can be very difficult. Please do not hesitate to ask us for help. Contact the librarian at the "Research Consultation Desk" M-F, 11am to 5pm for quick reference questions (nearby the Library Services Desk 1st floor West, 404-894-4530). Contact bette.finn@library.gatech.edu for in-depth reference and verification questions.
• Conference proceedings are cataloged in the Catalog as either monographs (books) or as serials.
• Catalog "serial" records combine all volumes and years into one record, making searching of specific conference years or unique conference titles impossible; only the title which occurs every year can be searched.
• Catalog "monograph" (book) records are for a specific conference proceedings, held on a specific date and at a specific location, with an unique monographic title.
• Many database conference/proceedings records (from Inspec, Compendex, etc.) contain more than one conference information field -- serial title/source fields, conference name/monograph title fields, conference date/location/sponsor fields and publication year fields. Note all of the information provided in all conference fields, such as the Inspec or Compendex database "Source/Serial/Journal" field and the "Conference Name" field.
• ISSN Problem.  "ISSN number" conference proceedings searches in the Catalog may not work, although the conference is in the Catalog.
• Proceedings can require viewing of all database conference fields (Source/Serial/Journal, Conference Name fields; title that occurs every year, specific title of a specific date and location) in Inspec and Compendex or other database records.
• "Find It GT" often will NOT work properly.  Use the Classic Catalog "Keyword Search" screen for conference proceedings and questionable journal names, leaving out the keywords "and" "or" "not." Ask for help.
• "Find It GT" often will not work for conference proceedings/society papers, technical research reports or patents.  Even though owned by the Library, "Find It GT" may only list the option "ILLiad Interlibrary Loan."  The "Find It GT" Print "GT Catalog (GIL/Classic Catalog) GO" link may return "Not Available" or "Your search failed!" when the item is owned by the Library. Ask us for help!
• Conference Proceedings Research Guide (including conference search hints).   Society Papers Research Guide.
• Search the most significant and/or unique words in the conference name or title of collection; use the Classic Catalog [all of these] drop down option.   Search for the proceeding's title not the article/paper title.  If too many results, in a second search box, search {conference? proceeding? symposia  symposium meeting? congress? transactions workshop?} using the drop down menu [any of these] option.

• IEEE and IEE/IET.  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) -- now Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).  If the database (Inspec, Compendex etc.) record has the keyword "IEEE" or "IEE" or "IET" for the years 1988 to present (and for selected papers before 1988), try finding out if the Library owns the electronic version of the journal or conference paper by going to the "IEEE Xplore" database. Look for IEEE and IEE/IET in the index database Journal/Source/Serial and Conference Name fields.
• Many older and some joint IEEE and IEE/IET papers are not in IEEE Xplore, but are owned by the Library and are cataloged in the Catalog.
• IEEE Xplore is a relatively small subset of the Inspec database. "Indexed by IET Inspec" is on IEEE Xplore's home page, and Inspec's abstracts are in IEEE Xplore records.
• IEEE Xplore contains most full text IEEE and IEE/IET conference and journal papers after 1988 (and selected papers before 1988), but does not include many joint conferences, for copyright reasons, etc.  Always search the Classic Catalog.   Please log-out when finished.
• Use IEEE Xplore's "Search" "Advanced" screen. Include one word per box for "Author" and "Document Title" fields, taken from database (Inspec, Compendex etc.) fields.
• Inspec/Compendex index a very large number and wide variety of Library owned electronic and print publications (such as ACM, SPIE, ASME, OSA, AIP, IOP, IPC, APS, SIAM, MRS, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, North Holland, Taylor and Francis, MIT Press, Pergamon Press, Kluwer, Academic Press, Chapman and Hall, and many others) not covered by IEEE Xplore.

• Library's Technical Report collection. Technical Report Research Guide.  Full-text Availability in GT Library.  Most technical reports are in microfiche format shelved in the technical reports collection on the 2nd floor east, or are available in electronic format.  A few selected locally loaded/owned technical reports are searchable using the GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind).
• Standards  Standards and Building Codes Research Guide.
• Patents  Patents and Trademarks Research Guide

Library Services, Search Hints and Database Guides for ECE
ECE LibGuide
Library Services, Search Hints and Database Guides for GTRI
GTRI LibGuide
Technical Reports Research Guide
Patents Research Guide

Information for Distance Learners  Document delivery: Georgia Tech Savannah, Center for Distance Learning, GT Lorraine

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