How to Use the OPAC Search Engine

How to Use the OPAC Search Engine Your Online Patron Access Catalog

Click on icon you will be using for your search. This is the OPAC search window. You can search by subject, title, author, keyword, series, call number, Lexile, and/or category. For this presentation, we will be searching by title.

Type title here. If you are not sure about the title, type in a keyword in the title and select the keyword icon. Type in the title of the book, then select the title icon.

The list of book titles will appear. Select the title you need, then double click the highlighted title. You can also click on the select button.

This is the title “card.” It contains all the book information available in the library. All the blue highlighted lines are links to books sharing the same information for that link. This is the Call Number and status window. It tells you where to find the book, and if a copy is available.

Once you’ve found the title, and checked to see if a copy is available, write down the call number, or save the title in your bookbag. The bookbag is useful if you will be selecting several titles. Select Add to Bookbag.

Select the Bookbag when you are ready to view your book list. Your bookbag indicated which titles you saved and the call numbers. You can print your list, save it on your student folder, and remove titles you no longer need. Remember to select Remove All before you leave the OPAC station.

You can also look up your patron status using OPAC. Select the My Info Icon. Then, type in your student ID number for the Barcode, and your birthdate for the password, xxxxxxxx (mm/dd/year).

Here, you can look up your checkouts, your fines, and holds.

Select Lexile You can also search the library by Lexile number (your SRI Score). Select the Lexile icon.

Type in your Lexile score, then select Search. You can search by subject.

Select Log Out Once you are done using the OPAC, don’t forget to log off and clear the Bookbag.

How to Use the OPAC Search Engine