Listening Center Shortcuts:

Searching for Scores and Recordings

Choose COMPLEX SEARCH in the Library catalog, and enter your search terms in the GENERAL field.

Use Boolean operators, AND, OR and NOT to make your search more specific.  For example, you could enter “Beethoven and compact disc” to find Listening Center holdings of Beethoven’s work on CD.  Thematic catalog numbers, such as an opus number, may also be part of the search.

Use $ for TRUNCATION.  Musical forms, such as symphony, may be cataloged in either singular or plural form.  Always type these words in a truncated format.  For example, symphony would be “symphon$”, and sonata would be “sonat$ or sonata$.”

Enclose exact titles or phrases in QUOTATION MARKS.

If you plan to use a performer’s or composer’s full name in your search, type it in as LAST NAME, FIRST NAME.

Narrow your search by scrolling down to the SEARCH LIMITS screen.  Choose only one option initially.  Choices for item type are soundrec for most of the Classical recordings, soundrec2 for popular recordings and audio books, and score for printed music.  Or, the choice of Location: Listencntr will limit the search results to items housed in the Listening Center.

Be prepared to get false hits when you do a search.  Do not assume that the piece you want is included in every item listed in the search results.  Always look at the individual cataloging records.

Use information you find in the catalog to refine your search.  For instance, you may want to find a recording of “Eroica”.  You find that Eroica is Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3.   A search of these elements will list several more recordings than your initial search.

If one combination of search elements doesn’t work, try another.  Sometimes the simplest search is the best place to start.