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Home > Find > Help Guide: Using the Simple Search
Conducting a Search with AquaBrowser

Enter your search term into the search box and click "Search". Once your search term has been located, results are presented in three sections of the screen. The center of the page displays findings ranked by relevance; on the left is a Discover Cloud of related words, terms, and ideas; and on the right is a menu of choices allowing you to refine the search. If you would like to explore related Electronic Resources or conduct a Site Search with the same search term, just click on the tabs.

Sample result screen from the new catalog interface

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Search Terms

Using the right search term will yield the best results. Start with something simple; using multiple terms will make your search more specific. If you can't think of the perfect search term to find what you are looking for, enter a related search term and then consult the Discover Cloud (see below) to help you. The Discover Cloud will be populated once you enter a search term.

For example, to search for information on repairing a bicycle of a certain make, use:
Search example - schwinn repair

If you want to conduct a very specific search by keyword, author, title, ISBN, or call number, type:

For example, enter the word keywords, followed by a colon, followed by a quotation mark, followed by the word libraries, followed by the end quotation mark.

For example, enter the word author, followed by a colon, followed by a quotation mark, followed by the words Carlton Rochell, followed by the end quotation mark.

For example, enter the word title, followed by a colon, followed by a quotation mark, followed by the phrase In praise of libraries, followed by the end quotation mark.

For example, enter the acronym ISBN, followed by a colon, followed by a quotation mark, followed by the numbers 0814774091, followed by the end quotation mark.

For example, enter the abbreviation callno, followed by a colon, followed by a quotation mark, followed by the call number 020 IN95P, followed by an end quotation mark.

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Discover Cloud

The Discover Cloud, located to the left of your search results, will present related words, terms, and ideas to help guide, specify, or expand your search.

In the Discover Cloud you will find:

  • Words and phrases associated with the term you entered.
  • Spelling variations of the term you entered. Click on one to switch to a different way of spelling a word (it can also correct misspellings).
  • Translations of your search term into a variety of languages that are represented in the Library's collections.
  • Thesaurus entries with both synonyms and antonyms of your search term.
  • Word variations of your search term. For example: Enter "throw", and it will also suggest "threw."
  • Discovery train: Your initial search term and subsequent selected terms from the Discover Cloud are present in blue text.

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Refine Menu

After you have searched your terms, use the Refine menu to the right of your search results to select format, author, subject, languages, series, etc.

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Automatic "And" Searches

By default, AquaBrowser will look only for items that include all of your search terms. There is no need to include "and" between terms. If you are looking for books that contain information about both apples and oranges, enter:

Search example - apples oranges

You can also use 'or' between terms to indicate that results can have any of the mentioned words.

For example, to find a book list with results representing books about apples or books about oranges, enter:

Search example - apples or oranges

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Capitalization

AquaBrowser is NOT case sensitive. Everything you type into the search box will be regarded the same.

Example:
Search example - Harry Potter (capitalized)
and
Search example - harry potter (all lowercase)
will return the same results.

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RSS

RSS is an easy way to stay up-to-date on your favorite websites. The Free Library's Catalog RSS feeds provide quick updates on the latest additions to the Library catalog.

To get started, perform a search in the AquaBrowser interface. When you are satisfied with the results, click on the RSS icon that appears above the Refine menu, then select the Free Library catalog feed that you want. Use the "All new catalog items" feed if you would like to be notified every time an item is added to the Free Library catalog, or use the custom feed that you just created to be notified whenever the Library adds a new item that meets your search criteria.

Once you've selected a feed, copy the URL that appears in the address bar of your web browser. Next, you'll need a news reader if you don't have one already. (Both Yahoo and Google offer Web-based readers.) Just paste the Free Library feed URL into the reader, and you're all set!

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Using the Simple Search

There is a convenient search box in the blue area of every page. This feature allows you to enter a word or phrase and find information from many Library sources.

You can also search our catalog exclusively by clicking the Catalog link below the search box on our homepage.

What it searches:

The Find search box searches the resources listed below and organizes the results under three tabs:

  1. Catalog. A Find search always returns Library catalog results first, as the default screen. Click here for detailed instructions on how to search the catalog.
  2. Electronic Resources. These are subscription services available through the Free Library. As many as ten resources are automatically searched at once. If you're using a non-Library computer, you may need to enter your Library card number, and PIN to view the details of an item.
  3. FLP Site Search. Find any Free Library web pages that contain your search terms. (See below for detailed information about Site Search.)

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Technical Information

The Simple Search is federated—this means that when search terms are entered, Simple Search goes directly to the various databases and submits the search in "real-time," very much like you would if you were to perform the searches individually on your own. Speed and results can vary from one search to another. At times a particular database may be unavailable. When this happens, it will appear that no information on your search term is included in that database.

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Site Search

Using our Google-powered site search, you can locate almost any of the information available on the Free Library’s website. It works the same way a familiar Google search works. In this case, the search is confined to Free Library pages. This does not include the catalog or our subscription databases.

Just click the Site Search link below the search box. The results will be a list of Free Library pages that contain your terms. Site Search can find a variety of information, from Library hours to events and collections, and everything in between.

Site Search includes:

  • The Library’s Calendar of Events
  • The Library's Digital Image Collections
  • Branch information
  • Philly FAQs
  • Departmental/Subject FAQs
  • Free Library recommended weblinks
  • Community resources
  • Free Library online booklists
  • Library press releases
  • And more

Advanced Search

Beneath the Find search box on the homepage is a link to the Advanced Search page. This page allows you to enter a word or phrase, and then choose which of our electronic resources to search. On the left side of the page, the Advanced Search page also contains a link directly to the Traditional Catalog, as well as links to other featured resources and new additions.

Notes:

  • Select up to 15 electronic resources by checking the boxes next to them. The available list of resources can be sorted either alphabetically by clicking the Browse All link or by subject.
  • As with the Simple Search, the results will be grouped under three tabs: Catalog, Electronic Resources, and FLP Site Search.
  • Under the Electronic Resources tab, it's possible to view the results of all searched sources at once, or to view groups of results from specific resources individually. If you would like to explore related catalog results or conduct a related Site Search, just click on the tabs.
  • Some electronic resources are available from non-Library computers, and can be accessed by logging in with your Library card number and PIN, while other resources are only available within the Library. You are able to perform a Databases Search using all of the resources that are available from your current location. The resources currently available to you will have a checkbox next to them. You will also see a list of additional resources that are available at the Library. Please come to the Library if you are interested in searching these additional resources.
  • Some electronic resources are available at all Library locations, while others are available only at specific locations. Click on the i icon next to any resource name to find out what it contains and where it is available.
    • Available To: Central Library indicates an electronic resource that is only available within the Central Library
    • Available To: All Free Library Locations indicates an electronic resource that is available at all Free Library locations (the Central Library, regional libraries, and all of the branches).
    • Available To: Internet with authentication indicates an electronic resource that is available from non-Library computers, by logging in with a Library card number and PIN.

Advanced Search/More Options

There is a link for More Options within the blue bar at the top of the Advanced Search page. This tool allows for highly refined searches.

Notes:

  • You can combine up to three search terms using Boolean commands (e.g., AND, OR, NOT).
  • Searches can be limited by language or type of material, and the number of results from each source can be restricted.
  • You can select up to 15 electronic resources at one time.