About AMICUS
Acceptable Use Policy
News
Registration
Support Services
Z39.50
Specialized AMICUS Sites (more…)
|
|
Appendix
Select a topic below or the Help Contents
Browsers
We recommend the browser settings below for Access AMICUS on the Web.
| Web address: |
collectionscanada.gc.ca/amicus |
| Browser: |
Netscape 4.7 or above; Internet Explorer 5 or above |
| Operating system: |
32 bit |
| Screen resolution: |
600 x 800 |
| Colors: |
256 (minimum); white for background, blue for links |
| Javascript: |
"enabled"; for full use of Options use Javascript 1.2 |
| Font: |
Use document specified fonts; default font is Courrier New, size 10; records are in Lucida Console |
For character-based browsers, like LYNX, assume character set ISO-8859-1 (ISO Latin 1) and display character set Western cp850 version 2.3 and above.
 |
To enhance performance, reduce the number of applications that are open at the same time. |
Punctuation & Abbreviations
Punctuation Used in Searching
You can ignore punctuation except when searching subjects and class numbers.
| . |
Use the period in Dewey, LC and UDS class numbers. Example: 810.3 |
| -- |
Use two hyphens before a subject subdivision. Example: jazz--canada |
The punctuation below can be useful to narrow or broaden a search.
| ! |
Use the exclamation point to narrow a search to a precise term. Example: peters a! finds works by A. Peters but excludes A.G. Peters, A.H.M. Peters, etc. |
| " " |
Use quotes to search by a phrase. Example: "acid rain" searches for the words together rather than as acid and rain |
| ? |
Use the question mark to replace one or more characters. Example: neighb?rhood finds both neighbourhood and neighborhood |
| # |
Use the number sign to replace a single character. Example: ethiopi#n finds both Ethiopian and Ethiopien (French form) |
Abbreviations & Punctuation Used in Library Holdings
| ci |
Only the current issue of the item is in this library |
| cm |
Only the current month of the item is in this library |
| cw |
Only the current week of the item is in this library |
| cy |
Only the current year of the item is in this library |
| - |
There is an unbroken range of holdings for the item. Example: v.1-30 means the library has everything from the start of volume 1 to the end of 30 |
| [ ] |
The holdings for the item are incomplete. Example: [1950] includes some parts of 1950 |
| ? |
The holdings information is uncertain. Example: v. 18-42? may include volumes 18 to 42 |
| / |
A single physical item with two connected volumes. Example: v. 12/13 indicates that volumes 12 and 13 are contained in a single physical item. |
| , |
There is a gap in the holdings for the item. Example: v. 1-3, 5 means the library has volumes 1 to 3 and 5 but not volume 4 |
| ; |
There is a publication break (not a gap) in the holdings. Example: v. 1-3; 5- indicates that after volume 3 the publisher jumped to 5 without publishing volume 4 |
Buttons & Commands
Buttons
Buttons are specific to each screen. To use a button click it once.
| Add |
Adds your preferred indexes and limiters to the Search screen |
| AND |
Combines terms in an advanced search to narrow your search |
| Authority |
Shows details about a heading in the name, title or subject index |
| Biblio. records |
Shows the bibliographic records for the authority |
| Brief |
Shows a brief record for the item |
| Browse |
Browses for the term in the index |
| Clear |
Clears the entry box on the Search screen |
| Clear List |
Clears the View List screen; see the View List command |
| Clear selections |
Clears the selection boxes on the Browse or Results screen |
| Display selections |
Displays the items selected on the Results or Browse screens |
| Download |
Converts records to MARC 21 and moves them to a local file |
| Email to |
Sends the saved results to an email address |
| Full |
Shows a complete record for the item |
| ILL request to LAC |
Asks the National Library to search other sources for the item |
| Locations |
Displays the libraries which have the item |
| MARC |
Shows the record with Machine Readable Cataloguing codes |
| Next |
Shows the next record or the next page of the index or results |
| NOT |
Combines terms in an advanced search to narrow your search |
| OR |
Combines terms in an advanced search to broaden your search |
| Previous |
Shows the prior record or the prior page of the index or results |
| Record |
Returns to the record from the Locations screen |
| References |
Shows related entries while browsing the name, title or subject indexes |
| Remove |
Removes unwanted indexes or limiters from the Search screen |
| Reset |
Returns to the previously saved options |
| Results |
Returns to the search results from the Record screen |
| Save |
Saves the selected results to a list; see the View List command |
| Save permanently |
Saves the options permanently as your new choices; see Save next |
| Save temporarily |
Saves the options for this session only; see previous |
| Send |
Sends the interlibrary loan request |
| Show request |
Shows the interlibrary loan request that is to be sent |
| Sort |
Sorts the search results by name, title or date |
| Submit |
Starts the search or browse |
Commands
Commands display underlined below the screen title. To use a command click it once.
| Account |
Shows details about your account such as your usage to date |
| Advanced search |
Enables you to search multiple indexes |
| Basic search |
Enables you search a single index |
| Command search |
Enables you to search with commands instead of menus |
| Comments |
Enables you to email comments to the National Library |
| Exit |
Logs you off Access AMICUS on the Web |
| Francais |
Switches to the French search screen |
| Help |
Displays the help file |
| List Indexes |
Displays information for command searching |
| New search |
Enables you to start a new search |
| News |
Displays news about AMICUS |
| Options |
Customizes AMICUS to your needs |
| R |
Enables you to request an item from another library |
| View list |
Displays what you saved on the Results and Record screens |
Indexes & Limiters
Indexes
You can search the indexes below. Those in italics can be browsed as well as searched.n Registered users can add or remove an index from the Search screen by using the Options command. Shelf list indexes available only to the National Library are not shown below.
| AMICUS no. |
Enter as found. An AMICUS number search bypasses the Results screen to go directly to the record. Example: 2345678 |
| Any keyword |
Enter any significant word in a name, title, subject, note or publisher name. Use with caution. Example: lunar eclipses |
| Canadiana no. |
Enter 2 digits (year), 6 digits (right-justified), check digit, language (e or f) as applicable. Example: 940012359 |
| Class-other |
Enter as found. Example: 30720971533 |
| CODEN |
Enter as found. Example: ababac |
| CONSER no. |
Enter either ocl or ocm with 8 digits. Example: ocl79876569 |
| CRMM no. |
Enter the Canadian Registry of Microform Masters number as found. Example: aeu 72025175 |
| Dewey class |
Enter prefix (j, c, jc) if applicable, 3 digits (right-justified), period and remaining digits. Example: 810.3 |
| Dynix no. |
Enter the Dynix number used within the Library and Archives Canada. Example: 12312142 |
| ISBN |
Omit hyphens, price and qualifier (pbk) in the International Standard Book Number. Example: 0838423620 |
| ISMN |
There are no examples at present for the International Standard Music Number |
| ISSN |
Omit hyphens and slashes in the International Standard Serial Number. Example: 03161196 |
| LC control no. |
Omit hyphens and slashes in the LCCN. Also known as the Library of Congress Card Number. Example: 81126148 |
| LC class |
Enter 1-3 letters, 1-4 digits, period, remainder of the LIbrary of Congress class number. Example: pn751 |
| MARA control no. |
Enter the library symbol and control number. Example: oocc5498 |
| Name exact |
Enter the beginning of the name of the author. Ignore initial articles, such as "The". See also name keyword. Examples: munro alice and conference board |
| Name keyword |
Enter any significant word in a name. Avoid common words ("canada"). Example: armenian |
| NAL subject category |
Enter 4 digits (right justified) for the National Agriculture Library subject category number. No example available |
| LAC authority no. |
Enter 4 digits, hyphen, one letter, hyphen, 4 digits, language if applicable. Examples: 0016-A-3367; 0000-e-0847e |
| Note keyword |
Enter one or more significant words in a note. Use with caution. Example: acid rain |
Other class
(Canada) |
Enter as found; example not available at present |
| Other control no. |
Enter as found. Example: ci96-69/1993E |
| Publisher keyword |
Enter any significant word in the publisher name. Examples: acadia house and porcupine |
| Publisher no. (music) |
Enter the number as found on the item. Example: 1000747 |
| Report no. |
Enter the number as found on the item. Example: tisc 5 |
| Subject exact |
Enter the beginning of the subject heading. Use two hyphens before subdivisions (e.g.--canada). Example: jazz--canada |
| Subject keyword |
Enter any significant word in a subject. Avoid common words ("canada"). Example: individualism |
| Title exact |
Enter the beginning of the title. Ignore initial articles, such as "The" or "An". See also title keyword. Example: feliciter |
| Title keyword |
Enter any significant word in a title. Avoid common words ("canada"). Example: illiteracy |
| UDC |
Enter the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) number as found; do not begin with a period. Example: 614.253 |
Limiters
You can narrow a search with the limiters below. You cannot: a) browse an index with limiters, and b) search by a limiter alone. The limiters displayed on the Advanced Search screen are based on your choices on the Options screen. For two or more values for the same limiter use the Command Search screen. Some limiters use the abbreviations DOB (meaning used in DOBIS records) or OBS (meaning used in older records and now obsolete).
| |
This limiter is useful for limiting your results to: |
| Bibliographic level |
Serials (such as journals) or monographs (books, etc.) |
| Conference |
Conferences or meetings |
| Date |
Items with a specific date (=) or items before (<) or after (>) a specific date |
| Form of item |
Braille, large print, microforms |
| Govt. publication |
Provincial, national, international or other government publication |
| Language |
Items published in a language other than English |
| Library symbol |
Locate an item in a specific library |
| Material type |
Cartographic items (maps), music, sound recordings |
| Music composition |
Blues, jazz, oratorios and other printed music |
| Music format |
Vocal and other printed musical scores |
| Nature of content |
Theses and other content |
| Place |
Province, state, country of publication |
| Serial type |
Newspapers, periodicals and monographic series |
| Target audience |
Children's and young adult books or music |
| Volume no. (series) |
Specific volume number of a book in a series |
Record Contents
Brief Record (registration required)
The Brief record displays an abbreviated description of the item.
- AMICUS number
- Bibliographic level: such as Monograph or Serial
- Names: Main author (with an asterisk) or uniform title heading
- Titles: Main title and statement of responsibility
- Edition: example, Revised ed.
- Publisher: includes place and date of publication
- Description: includes pagination and volumes published
- E-Location: URL for the item
- Series: traced series
- Notes: includes serial information and selected relationships
- Numbers: ISBN, ISSN
- Subject headings
Full Record
The Full record displays a complete bibliographic description of the item. In addition to the information on the Brief record the following is provided.
- Names: additional names, such as joint authors
- Titles: additional titles, such as, cover titles, parallel titles
- Series: both traced and untraced series statements
- Notes: complete notes including all relationships
- Numbers: Canadiana, CONSER, report and other numbers
- Classification: Dewey and LC class numbers
MARC Record (registration required)
The MARC record displays the entire bibliographic description with Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC) codes. The Library of Congress website (http://www.loc.gov/marc/) provides detailed information about MARC.
Help Contents
|
