Biomedical Sciences Research Guide

Quick Search

The ISU Library's Quick Search is the best way to locate a book in our collection. You can even use it to search and request books from other Iowa research libraries.

Tips for Locating Books

The ISU Library catalog provides access to over 2 million volumes in our general collection. In addition, Quick Search includes access to millions more online books, research articles, book reviews, news stories, and more. It can be really hard to find what you are looking for. Try some of these tips if you are struggling to find what you need.

• Locating online books
• Books on reserve
• Books at other libraries

Navigating Quick Search

It can be overwhelming the first time you look for a book using Quick Search. There is a lot of information crammed onto the screen! Here are some useful tips to navigate the system.

The screenshot below shows a typical search results page in Quick Search.

Some of the important features on this page are:

• Sign In button

In the upper right-hand corner (or under the "..." menu in mobile) is the Sign In button. Use your ISU Net-ID and password to sign in and request items, save searches, see which books you have checked out, and more. 

• Search Bar

The main feature in the top banner of the page is the search bar. Enter keywords to search for resources in the ISU collection or, using the drop down menu, search for books at other Iowa research libraries. 

• Filters

On the right side of the screen under the "Tweak my results" heading are a series of filters you can use to narrow down search results. Limit your results by date, format, location, and more. When looking for a book, it can be useful to apply the Books filter under Format Type.

• Item Records

What you are most likely looking for will appear in the main body of the page - the item records. Each item retrieved by Quick Search has a similar display.

• The first line identifies the type of resource (book, article, dissertation, etc.).
• The next lines contain information about the resource including title, author, and date of publication. Click on the title to see the detailed item record for more information about the resource.
• The "Available at" line appears for physical items and describes where the resource is stored at. You will need the information in parentheses "( )," known as the call number, to locate the item. Click on this link to see if the book has been checked out by somebody else, to find out if there are multiple copies of the book available, or to request that the book be placed on hold for you at the Vet Med Library.
• Finally, there will be a link to view the resource online--if that option is available. Click on the link to go directly to the online book or article. You may need to enter your ISU Net-ID and password to access the resource.

• Request Items

You can request to have a book placed on hold for you to pick up at the Vet Med Library. The book can be from any ISU Library facility or from any partner library that you find using Quick Search.

1. On the search results page, click on the title of the item you are interested in to open the full item record.
2. Scroll down the record to the "Get It" section. You will need to sign into Quick Search if you haven't already done so.
3. Once you have signed in using your ISU Net-ID and password, you will have the option to Request the item.
4. Select the option to pick up the item at Vet Med Library or Parks Library. You will be notified by email when it arrives.