Tarleton State University Libraries Unit 3 LIBRARY CATALOGS   Tarleton Libraries' Online Catalog contains records for all items owned by the libraries: books, journals, magazines, maps, CDs, videos, etc. The catalog can be searched online. Search results for a library item yields an item's record, which gives its call number (shelf address), location, and other identifying information. Since every library collection is unique, every catalog is also unique. Learning to search the catalog effectively, understanding the information contained in the catalog's item records, and knowing how to quickly locate an item will make your research process more productive and enjoyable. To help patrons locate items in the collections, the online catalog contains records for all items owned by Tarleton libraries. Each item's record states the item's call number (shelf address), the collection in which it is shelved, along with information about the item's authorship, publication information, subject indexing terms, extent of holdings, etc. Also, electronic books (e-books) in the libraries' holdings are available through links in the online catalog, as are electronic journals to which the library subscribes. Using the library catalog lets users find the following types of materials: •  audiovisual materials (CDs, DVDs, movies, cassettes, etc.), •  books (fiction, nonfiction, reference, electronic, audio, etc.), •  maps and posters, •  government documents, and •  periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers, etc.) Unit 5 offers in-depth instructions for using the libraries' online catalog.   Choosing Search Tools Periodical Indexes & Abstracts   Library Orientation Site Index Updated 7/2004