Searching RLG databases in Libraries Australia
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
The Research Libraries Group (RLG) offers a management and retrieval system of nearly 30 million bibliographic items which are held by the members of RLG. Over 365 languages are represented.
The National Library has tried to configure the RLG Union Catalogue, so that similar search strategies can be used to search it as is available for the Australian National Bibliographic Database (ANBD) on Libraries Australia Search. Unfortunately we were not able to achieve a similar configuration in a number of cases due to the way the RLG databases have been set up. As a result, you need to be aware of some important differences between searching the RLG and ANBD.
The aim of this User Guide is to explain these differences as well as the main search features of the RLG databases.
2. RLG Databases
1. RLG Union Catalogue
- Books
- Serials
- Non-books
2. RLG Authorities
- Name Authorities
- Subject Authorities
The Authority files have current LCNA and LCSH headings.
3. Truncation #
RLG databases use the hash (# ) as the right truncation symbol, whereas ANBD uses the ?. So that you may understand more fully the difference in how the # is used as opposed to the ?, both truncation symbols have been explained below.
Use of the ? in ANBD
In ANBD the truncation symbol ? is only required at the end of a word stem or an initial in a personal name to retrieve any word beginning with that stem or the respective name beginning with that initial.
Please note that in ANBD it is not necessary to truncate a search query which ends with a complete word (ie not a word stem) as the system automatically does this on your behalf. For example, if you type in the first 3 words of a Title, the system will automatically search for all Titles beginning with those three words.
Use of the # in RLG databases
In RLG databases the truncation of a search query is not always automatic as in ANBD. The general rule is as follows:
|
You are able to place a # after all search queries except when searching on PERSONAL NAMES or for SHORT TITLES within the RLG Union Catalogue. In relation to Numeric searches, it is always advisable to include the # at the end of the number. |
An explanation of the more specific rules related to the use of the # truncation symbol are given in the sections below.
4. Non-Keyword searches
Personal Name searches in the RLG Union Catalogue
Personal Name searches in the RLG Union Catalogue have been configured NOT to be truncated using the #. The reason for this is to reduce the hit list. You should NEVER use the hash with a Personal Name search in this database as you will retrieve zero hits.
Surname only
If you input a surname only, the system will automatically truncate that surname. This will result in a hitlist of all the names associated with that surname. This can be useful when searching on foreign or unusual surnames.
Example:
Tajfel (Personal Name) 19 hits
Surname plus forenames or initials
When searching on Personal Names which include a forename or an initial, the name you input is the name that will appear in the bibliographic records retrieved. For example, if you input the Personal Name 'ball, p' you will only retrieve records with Ball, P in them and not Ball, Patricia or Ball, Peter etc.
When searching on a Personal Name, type in the surname first followed by a comma and then any forenames or initials.
Examples:
davies, paul (Personal Name) Will only retrieve: Davies, Paul
davies, p h (Personal Name) Will only retrieve: Davies, P.H
davies, paul harcourt (Personal Name) Will only retrieve: Davies, Paul Harcourt
It is also possible to search on Personal Names directly by placing any first names or initials before the surname. If this option is preferred, do not include a comma.
RLG Authorities
When searching RLG Authorities you ARE able to truncate a personal name using the # truncation symbol.
Example:
ball, p# (Personal Name) Will retrieve:
Ball, Patric
Ball, Phil
Ball, Particia Bernice Huff
Ball, Peter Eugene, 1943- etc.
(Truncation after an initial is not an option when doing direct order searching.)
5. Titles and Short Titles
Always place the # truncation symbol immediately after the last word in your search query in an ordinary Title search. If the # is not inserted, you are likely to retrieve zero hits. This is because the RLG databases require that you type in the complete Title (the part that appears in the 'a' subfield) of your search to retrieve a hit, or alternatively, that you type in the # truncation symbol.
If, however, you wish to search for a short Title or you are sure that you have typed in the complete Title (the portion which appear in subfield 'a'), then do not add the #.
Examples:
Books
ball players career# (Title) 1 hit
ball players career (Title) 0 hits
impact of climate change# (Title) 25 hits
impact of climate change (Title) 2 hits
elephant# (Title) 1315 hits
elephant (Title) 84 hits
Serials
sociolinguistics# (Title) 197 hits
sociolinguistics (Title) 4 hits
6. Subject headings
The same rule applies to Subject Headings as to Title searches. Always
place the # truncation symbol directly after the last word in your search query to retrieve all Subject Headings commencing with those words. If you would like to restrict your Subject Heading to the Main Heading (subfield 'a') only, then do not add the #. This rule applies to both the RLG Union Catalogue as well as to the Authorities database.
Examples: (RLG Authorities)
botanical gardens# (Subject Heading) 18 hits
botanical gardens (Subject Heading) 2 hits
Please be aware that you are only able to include subfields in a Subject Keyword search. When doing so, do not include double dashes. The # truncation symbol is optional.
You will also discover (as explained in Section 6.7 below) that the keyword phrase which makes up your subfield need not be exact to retrieve a hit list.
Examples:(RLG Union Catalogue)
kiribati description and travel (Subject keyword) 23 hits
kiribati description# (Subject Keyword) 23 hits
kiribati travel# (Subject keyword) 24 hits
7. Keyword searches
In the RLG databases a keyword PHRASE search behaves a little differently from its counterpart in ANBD. In ANBD the keyword phrase needs to match the phrase in the index exactly. In RLG it need only match the phrase APPROXIMATELY.
The # truncation symbol is optional in all keyword searches.
Example:
Assessing the impact of climate change# (Title Keyword) 1 hit
The above search will retrieve the following Title:
Assessing the impactof an organizational change process on the climate of an urban junior high school ...
8. Searching Non-Books in the RLG Union Catalogue
Non-Books can be searched via the Secondary Index field called Material Type. The codes for Material Type are listed below.
|
Code |
Field Name |
|
|
a c d e f g i j k m o p r t |
Language material (including microform) Music printed (including microform) Music manuscript (including microform) Cartographic material Cartographic manuscript (including microform) Projected medium Sound recording, non-musical Sound recording, musical Two-dimensional non-projectable graphic Computer file Kit (various components packaged as a unit) Mixed material Three-dimensional artifact Manuscript language material (including microform) |
Material Type
|
Examples:
Maps
Search: Indonesian maps published after 1990.
indonesia# (Title)
AND
e (Material Type)
AND
> 1990 (Date of Publication)
Sound recordings
Search: Musical Sound recordings by Elvis Presley
You are able to distinguish Non-musical sound recordings (Material Type: i) from Musical sound recordings (Material Type: j).
presley, elvis (Personal Name)
AND
rock music# (Subject Heading)
AND
j (Material Type)
9. Other features
Uniform Titles and Series
If you wish to search on Uniform Titles and Series, these options are available from the Primary index drop-down list.
Examples:
Perspectives on distance education# (Series keyword) 4 hits
good news for modern man# (Uniform Title keyword) 2 hits
Any Keyword
This index is not available for RLG
Form of Item and Nature of Contents
A few secondary indexes are not supported by RLG. Two important ones are Form of Item and Nature of Contents. A Title Keyword search will always retrieve the General Material Designation, while a Notes Keyword search will usually cover the types of items listed under Nature of Contents.
Browse
The Browse function has not been dealt with here as it is not sufficiently stable to retrieve consistent results.
Holdings
You are not able to RMR or add holdings to the RLG Union Catalogue This function is only available in ANBD.
Editing a search
Please note that when you click on the Edit Query button and are taken back to your original search screen, the # truncation symbol will not be included if it appeared in your original search.. You will need to insert the # again if required.
10. Further information
RLG Home Page
Further information about the RLG databases is available from the RLG
Home Page at:
http://www.rlg.org
From this site you are able to obtain information about the organisation and membership of RLG as well as the RLG bibliographic databases and how these have been defined and indexed for Z39.50 searching.
Libraries Australia Customer Service
Should you require help with searching the RLG databases, please contact Libraries Australia Customer Service.
Address: National Library of Australia
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600
Telephone: 1800 026 155
Fax: 02 6273 1180
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