The “blue boxes” are your search buttons in the catalog.  You’ll get the most results by clicking "Everything".

Tip: You also can use Everything if you want to combine words. For example, if you know the performer or group’s name is “Beach Boys” and one of the words in the title is “endless” you can type in “beach boys and endless” and click on Everything.  There’s no need use capital letters.

Narrow your search to CDs by clicking on the Sound Recordings button.

If there is more than one result to your search, you’ll see a summary list of titles and some brief information about each one.

To get details about a particular item (including current location) click on View Call Number, Location and Details.

You can search just for particular Song Titles

• Do a search for the song title as an Everything search, making sure you’ve clicked the Sound Recordings button.
• For example, click the Sound Recordings button, type in “surfer girl” and click Everything to see all the CDs that Surfer Girl is on.

To get the most precise results, use Advanced Search.

An Easy Search with the Sound Recordings button selected will show you all kinds of recordings, not just music. Your results may include books on tape, books on CD, Playaways, and downloadable books. To limit your results to just music CDs, choose CD Recording from the Specific Format menu in Advanced Search.

Finding Music CDs

Searching for a certain kind music?  Try using one of these top subjects:

• Children’s Songs
• Country music
• Folk songs
• Gospel music
• Jazz
• Lullabies
• Motion picture music (for movie soundtracks)
• Popular music
• Rock
• Television music (for TV show soundtracks)
• Vocal

You also may search for music by instrument. Here are just a few examples.

• Clarinet
• Flute
• Guitar
• Piano
• Violin
• Violoncello (Tip: Use this term instead of “cello”)

Searching for specific types of classical music? Try some of these words:

• Chamber music
• Orchestral music
• Concertos  
• Sacred music
• Operas
• Symphonies

You also may search by composer or performer, similar to searching by author for books. In fact, you may enter either the composer or performer’s name and click the blue “Author” button to see a list of their CDs (don’t forget to click the “Sound Recordings” button too).

Finding lists of CDs

To see a list of new CDs at the Library, click Quick Lists from the top of any page in the catalog.

Click the name of the type of list you’d like to see (New Music CDs) for an alphabetical title list. You also may subscribe to an RSS feed and be notified in your RSS reader when we add new titles.

Tip: If you’d like to find sheet music, search for the composer’s name or the song title and add “and score” to your Everything search. For example, “beach boys and score” will find printed Beach Boys music.

Where Is It? De-coding an Item’s Location:

After finding a title, click on View Call Number, Location and Details to see information about the location and availability of copies:

• “Adult Collection” – CDs are shelved on the main level near the Information Services Desk.
• Youth Services”  - These items all begin with “J” and are located on the lower level.
• “Checked out” – The item is being enjoyed by someone else.  A due date is indicated BUT this does not reflect whether other patrons have placed a “hold” on the item.
• “On hold for someone” – The item is ready to be picked up by a patron who has placed it on hold.
• “Being acquired by the library” – A librarian has placed an order to purchase this item.  Materials with this location can be further described as “on order” or “received.”  In both cases the item is not yet available for checkout. You can, however, place a hold on the item and be notified when it is ready to be picked up.
• “In process” – The item is in the Library, but not yet ready to be checked out.  You can, however, place a hold on the item and be notified when it is ready to be picked up.
• “In Transit” – The item is on its way to/from another library for a patron.

What Do I Do When I Can’t Find a Title in the Catalog?

I can’t find the item at all - If you have searched the catalog and get the message "no matches found" try widening your search to “All LINC libraries” (using the dropdown menu).

I found it, but it’s checked out - If an item is checked/charged out or owned by another LINC library, you may be able to place a hold on it. See Placing A Hold for details.

I want a new item that I found at other LINC libraries but not St. Charles – If you see a new item owned by other LINC libraries and not St. Charles, it could be that our copy is on order and just doesn’t appear yet in the catalog.  There are several ways to notify us of your interest in the item:

• Try to place a hold on the item and when you see the message “Unsuccessful Hold Submission,” click on the link “send a purchase suggestion” and we will be automatically be notified of your interest in this item.
• Ask Us! We are happy to help by email (please include your library card number and the title of the item), phone (630-584-0076 x 1) or in person at the Information Services Desk.

I still can’t find it - If the material you are looking for is not in the catalog, it may be available from a library outside our network via Interlibrary Loan.  You can submit an Interlibrary Loan request online, by phone (630-584-0076 x 1) or in person at the Information Services Desk.  A St. Charles Library card is required for this service.

I can’t place a hold on what I want – If you try to place a hold on an item in the catalog, but get the message “Unsuccessful Hold Submission,” click on the link “send a purchase suggestion” and we will automatically be notified of your interest in this item.

Ask Us! We are happy to assist you in finding materials whether in person, by phone or online…

Did You Know…?  

• We are happy to help you search the catalog! Drop by the Reader Services or Information Services Desk on the main level, or the ASK ME Desk in Youth Services.
• You don’t need to include the words “the” “a” or “an” when you’re searching (they appear so frequently the catalog doesn’t use them for searching)
• Use the Browse Catalog option for one-word titles (“Smile”) or similar short titles. Leave out “a” “an” or “the” if it is the first word (search “warmth of the sun” not “the warmth of the sun”), but when “Browsing” you’ll need the “the” in the middle. Browse searches look for the words exactly as you type them in the order that you type them.
• We often can get items for you that you don’t see in the catalog from another library. We’ll also consider purchase requests. Ask Us!

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