Encore Search Screen

The URL for Encore is: http://encore.berkeley-public.org
To search Encore, enter your search terms and click the arrow or press Enter.

Search Basics

Keyword Search

• Enter search terms (Title, Author, topic). Press Enter or click the arrow button.
• Results that most closely match are listed first as the Most Relevant.
• The more often the search terms occur in an item's record the more relevant that item is to the search.
• The most current item in each section of relevancy will be listed at the top.
• Use the item icons to quickly determine the format of the results.
  Etc.

Search Tip:
When searching for a one word title, include a part of the author's name or a word describing the subject of the book to retrieve better results.

Results Page

Search Box on Results Page:

1. The word "Catalog" is gray. This means we are searching the catalog. If you want to search for articles, click the "Articles" link. "Articles" will then become gray, and you will see results from an article search.
2. There is always a link to the "Classic Catalog."
3. Your original search terms appear in the search box.
4. You can execute a new search by clicking the arrow button.
5. The link "Explore Related Searches" takes you to the bottom of the page to see suggested search terms to broaden your search.

Brief Display of Items on Search Results Page

1. Your search and all limits applied appear at the top of any results list. (MUSIC CD in our example.) Click the "[x]" to remove search limits.
2. Default sort is by Relevance. Click "Title" or "Date" to re-sort the search resuls.
3. The title is a link to see the full bibliographic record.
4. The average community rating for this item is 4/5 stars.
5. The "teaser" location shows us the most likely place to find an item, and its call number. ("Check Shelf" means the item is most likely going to be found on the shelf.)
6. There are more copies of this item. You can see either all available (3), or all copies in the catalog (4). Update for Internet Explorer 8 users: If this does not expand for you to show you all copies available, it might be an issue with Internet Explorer 8. To fix this, click on the "Page" drop down menu and choose "Compatibility View." This will turn this feature on.
7. Options for this item from the search results screen: Place a hold (requires a library card), add to marked list (for printing/e-mailing/saving to disk-NOT FOR placing holds on multiple items at once), see full record, or explore related material on the Internet.

Refining Results

Each Refining "Facet" displays the number of items that will display on your search results page if you use it. (e.g. there are 6 books matching this search, one of which is in the children's collection)

When you are Searching for.........

Availablity:
Show items that you can access. (Includes library use only e.g. Reference materials.)

Title & Author & Subject:
Click Title or Author or Subject to return items with your search terms only in these fields.

Book, Audiobook, DVD:
Use the Format refining options

What is at your branch:
Select one of the Collections or Locations. "Collection" is a very narrow division, (includes Children, A&M, Teens, etc.)

Language:
Limit the search results to a specific Language

Publish Date:
Refine results to year of printing

Refine by Tag: (right side) Lists keywords in all the records retrieved in the current search

Popular Choices: Lists the titles matching your search that have the most copies at the library.

Making Lists

What is My Lists?

My Lists is a new feature for the Berkeley Public Library Catalog that allows you to make a list of items for a number of purposes.

Why would I use My Lists?

You can use it to make a wish list of items you would like to read, or perhaps a reading list to share with friends, or to just keep track of what you have read for any reason.

Can anyone else see "My List?"

No. Your "My List" is linked to your record and is only accessible when you log-in to your account with your library card number.

How to create a new My List through Encore.

There are two types of lists involved in creating a new My List that is saved in your account. First we will make a "Marked List". Then we will save the "Marked List" to a "My List". In this example, we will create a new "My List".

At the bottom of each item in an Encore Search Results Page, click the link to "Add to marked list" next to a shopping cart icon to create and populate a marked list.

You may execute multiple searches and continue to add items to your marked list. Once the first item is added to the marked list, the top of each Encore page has a link to the marked list with a running count of how many items are marked.

Once you click the "My Marked List" link, the "My Marked List Page appears. This page shows options to export the records by e-mailing them, or saving the entire list to a "My List."

If you are not logged-in, you can do so now from the link on the top of the page, or the link which says "Please log in to use My List." Once logged-in, you see a pull-down menu of all the lists in your account. Pull it down to select one of these, or, click "Create a new list."

The "Create new list" dialog box appears. Name and describe your list. Note that once created, these values may not be changed.

You are then given a confirmation message. In my example, I will get a box that says: Created new list named "Bike Racing" with 6 records.

At the top of any Encore screen, you can "clear marked list" now. To see your "My List", simply click "My Account" (top of any Encore page). There will be a feature button labeled "My Lists". Click it to see the lists you have created. Click on the list name to see all the items in your list!

My Account

Using "My Account", you can place holds, rate materials, assign tags to materials, view and renew your checked-out items, view or cancel items on hold, change your phone number and e-mail address, view and pay unpaid fines, and more.

To Log in to your account:

1. Click the Login link in the upper right corner of the main screen.
2. User Name: Enter your first name as listed on your library card account.
3. Barcode: Enter the 14 digit barcode displayed on the back of your library card.
4. Click LOGIN
5. Look to the top of the window to see any alerts

IMPORTANT! Make sure you logout (top right corner of the screen) before closing your session. This will keep your information secure.

For more complete coverage of managing "My Account", see the second page of: Encore QuickStart Guide.

Please see the Classic Catalog Help Center for more information about new features such as "My Lists" and Ratings.

Find out more:

To see more information about a title click Find out More. (or the title of the item in the search results page)
Not every title contains all of this information.

1. Image of the item cover.
2. Title, author, publisher (imprint) copyright date.
3. Link to Link+ to place a hold on items that are unavailable at Berkeley Public Library
4. The average rating of this item in the Berkeley Public Library Community is 5/5! (Ratings do not consist of the opinions of the Berkeley Public Library, its staff, or the City of Berkeley.)
5. This item is available in the Central Library Fiction area.
6. The same options available from the search results screen plus a link to this item in the Classic Catalog.
7. The other items in the search result set are accessible on the right side!

Using Tabs with Encore for Link+

Please watch the embedded video demonstration of using Tabs with Encore:

Placing Holds on Items:

To place a Hold for an item:

1. Locate the item in the catalog (Be sure you locate the correct material type – book, DVD, audio)
2. Click the "Hold this for me" link under the item cover image. (If you are not already logged in to your account you will be prompted to do so at this point.)
3. Confirm the branch to which it will be delivered.

You will be notified when your item is available to pick up at your home branch. If you add your email address to your library account you will receive an email when the item is ready, as well as courtesy notices when your items are due back.

*When requesting from home, the catalog randomly picks an available copy to fill your request. This will not necessarily be a copy that may be in at your home branch.