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UC Library Search User Guide

This is a how-to guide for using UC Library Search.

Accessing and/or Requesting an Item

First, you will need to sign in for full access and to be able to request items.

UC Library Search top bar sign in button

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS

From your search results, you can access:

  • Full record by clicking on its title (top option shown below).
  • Physical item availability by clicking on a location link (middle option shown below).
  • Online item availability by clicking on an "Available Online" link (bottom option shown below).

Item record display for book "How to be an antiracist" in UC Library Search

READING A RECORD

Items can be available (1) both online and physically (on a library shelf), (2) only online, (3) only physically (on a library shelf). Use the links on the left to navigate the record and determine whether an item is available. See section below for unavailable items.

UC Library Search Full Display

 

Items available online will include links to sections named "View Online" and/or "Search Inside". For information about determining the availability of, and accessing if available, an online item, see the Online Items tab.

Items available physically (on a library shelf) will include links to sections named "Get It" and/or "How to Get It". For information about determining the availability of, and requesting or retrieving if available, a physical item, see the Physical Items tab.

The following links can appear for online and physical items:

  • A "Links" section can provide things like cover art or Table of Contents. Sometimes full text appears here.   
  • A "Details" section lists the item's creator, title, format, creation date, publisher, etc.
  • A "Send To" section provides you with options for saving, sharing, and exporting citations.
  • A "Citations" section shows you related citations either cited by or in this item's record.
  • A "Virtual Browse" section allows you to browse items in the same call number range.

 

"UNAVAILABLE" ITEMS

To request ("recall") an item from its current borrower, click on "Request from UC Berkeley".  See the "Physical items" tab for more information.

If an item is not owned by UC Berkeley, you can often use Interlibrary Loan to request it from another library. For these items, a Request through Interlibrary Loan option appears under "How to Get It."

Request Through Interlibrary Loan option

 

Click it to access the Interlibrary Loan Request form.

Interlibrary Loan Request form

 

For more information (including delivery time frames and loan periods), see the Interlibrary Borrowing Service. 

READING A RECORD: ONLINE ITEMS

Records for online items can include "View Online", "Links", and/or "Search Inside" sections.

Use the "View Online" section to determine availability (for example, dates of publication).

Online Item Record "View Online" section

The "Links" section may include more information.

Online Item Record "Links" section

The "Search Inside" section allows users to search inside this item.

Online Item Record "Search Inside" section

 

READING A RECORD: PHYSICAL ITEMS

Records for physical items include a "Get It" section (and sometimes a "How to Get It" section with additional details). 

Some items must be viewed in a library (ex: Bancroft Library items). For items that can be borrowed, you can: 

  • Request to pick it up from a campus and location of your choice. (You'll receive an email when it is ready to pick up.)
  • Retrieve from a library (if available). To do so, you'll need to know the item's:
    • Location (library)
    • Availability (is the item listed as "Available"? "Out of library"? "In process"? "Not loanable"?)
    • Call Number (use the call number on the book's spine to find an item in a library. See below.)

For example, to access this item,...

Print Item Record "Get It" section

...you have two options:

  • Retrieve Doe Library's copy from the shelves of the Main Stacks by using its call number (F861.5 .M26 1997) or by clicking on "Request from UC Berkeley."
  • Use all Bancroft Library materials at the Bancroft Library.
    • Click on "Bancroft Library" to request the item through the Aeon system (free account required); some items may need to be requested in advance. See the Bancroft Library’s guide for more information.

 

To borrow this item also owned by two locations,....

...you'll want to borrow the copy in Doe Library, either requesting it for pickup or retrieving it from Doe Library's Main (Gardner) Stacks by using its call number (KF4755 .A75 C7 1995) because the Ethnic Study Library's copy is "out of library" (ex: checked out). 

Click on "Request from UC Berkeley" to request ("recall") the item from its current borrower. 

REQUESTING AN ITEM FOR PICKUP

The three most common options for requesting physical items (depending on an item's availability) are:

  • Request from UC Berkeley: Choose a pickup location (Locations + hours). Allow 2-3 business days.
    • Allow a week for Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) items, which are stored off campus. 
    • Bancroft NRLF items must be requested through Aeon.
  • Request NRLF Article/Chapter Scan: Use the form to request a scan of a journal article or book chapter located at NRLF. Allow 2-4 business days.
  • Request through Interlibrary Loan: Use the form to request an item from a non-UC Berkeley location.

"Get It" section request options

 

RETRIEVING AN ITEM FROM A LOCATION (USING A CALL NUMBER)

To find an item by its call number:

  1. Go to the library that owns it.
  2. Find information (often a chart on the wall) about call numbers' locations.
  3. Use the call number to find the item on the shelf.

 

For example, find an item the call number "QA  17.1  C.98" on the shelf by:

Book spines with call numbers1. Reading LINE 1 (QA) alphabetically.

Book spines with call numbers2. Reading LINE 2 (17.1) numerically.

Book spines with call numbers3. Reading LINE 3 (C98) alphabetically and numerically as a decimal.

Ex: C.98 comes after C.972 and before C.984.