Library Catalog > Search Help > Search Tips
Search Tips
Use these simple tips to get better search results.
Multiple words
Searching multiple words retrieves all records containing those words, though not necessarily in the order entered.
Example: garden Pacific Northwest
Phrase searches
Words enclosed in quotation marks will appear together exactly as typed.
Example: "world health organization"
Wildcards
*
Use the asterisk to find words with similar letters.
Example: inter* will match internal, interrogate, interruption, and so on.
?
Use the question mark to replace a single character anywhere within a word.
Example: wom?n
"And," "or" and "and not"
Use these words to further refine your search.
Examples:
Stocks and bonds
Stocks or bonds
Stocks and not bonds
