| A Brief Record
display is the default display for individual records and provides
the most basic bibliographic information about materials in
the Library of Congress Online Catalog.
Brief Record Display
All record displays include the call number by which materials
must be requested. Some information displays as a hypertext link.
Selecting a link launches a search for related records. Three other
displays may be consulted for more detailed information: Subjects/Content,
Full Record, and MARC
Search, Navigation and
Output - Bibliographic Information
Library Holdings, Location and Status
Several lines of information relating to the search are
displayed below the button bar, and above and below the Brief
Record on the screen:
- Database Name:
Most catalog records display the name “Library of Congress
Online Catalog.” Other databases can be searched, as they
become available, by selecting the [
Other Databases ] button from the top button bar. Such
databases may include the Handbook of Latin American
- You Searched:
A description of the search is displayed after this label
(e.g., Subject = cats, Command Keyword = (wood?
OR forest) AND "resource manage?"). The text before
the = is the name of the search method used, and
the text after the = is the actual search performed.
- Search Results:
A legend identifies the currently displayed catalog record
number within the total search set (e.g., Displaying
2 of 35, Displaying 1 of 10,000).
- A search in the Online Catalog never results in more
than 10,000 catalog records, even when more than 10,000
records match the search. If the results set is truncated
at 10,000, a warning message appears in the Titles
List and Headings List
- Subject, Name and Call Number searches are set to
"browse" the entire Online Catalog before and after
the search term entered. Since this method does not
create a distinct record set, the legend on a single
record display is Displaying 1 of 1.
- Navigation Icons:
If a search retrieves multiple catalog records, it is possible
to page forward and back, one record at a time, using the
- Full Title:
Below the four display selection tabs, the title of the
work displays as it appears on the title page (or its equivalent).
- Print, Save and Email:
Below the display of the catalog record information, a table
displays with options for output. For more information consult
the help screen for Print, Save and
The following information will display if present in the
A record retrieved by the Keyword
search method displays a relevance indicator before the
- LC Control Number:
A unique record identification number assigned by the Library
of Congress. Although works may be searched and identified
by this number, they may not be requested by this number.
See CALL NUMBER below.
- Type of Material:
The kind of material represented by the catalog record and,
in some cases, the level at which it is being described,
e.g., Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.),
Printed Music (Part or Selection), Archival Manuscript/Mixed
- Brief Description:
May provide any of the following information: name (main
author, creator, etc.), title, edition information, place
of publication/creation, publisher/distributor/creator,
date of publication/creation, and physical description.
- Projected Pub. Date:
The projected date of publication for works that have not
yet been published.
- Access Advisory:
Information pertaining to restrictions on access to the
material described in the catalog record, sometimes stating
the terms under which the material is served, such as the
need for special permissions or advance appointments.
The International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) for the
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for the
Hypertext linked information displays if the catalog record
contains URLs or URNs leading to electronic versions of
the material or related electronic resources, such as a
finding aid or a table of contents. Selecting the hypertext
link will generally take users out of the Online Catalog.
Return to the Online Catalog by selecting the browser's
[ Back ] button.
- CALL NUMBER:
Includes the call number used to retrieve the material,
usually followed by information identifying a specific copy.
Selecting the call number, shown as a hypertext link, launches
a search for records beginning with the same call number
designation--usually those with the same subject classification
numbers. Note: Records in the Online Catalog
generally indicate that the Library holds one copy of a
work, even though additional copies may actually be available
in the Library's collections. Library staff will begin entering
information about additional copies in the near future.
- Request in:
Identifies the reading room or book service area (along
with a building name and room number) where the material
must be requested.
Displays circulation information for the material (charged,
not charged, etc.). Initially, some circulation information
may not be complete, since many materials in the Library
(including many special collections materials) are not handled
by the circulation system at this time.
- Special Information about Serials Holdings:
Additional holdings categories may display, such as, Shelving
Title:, Library Holds:, Latest Receipts:,
Older Receipts:, etc. Although much of this information
is not currently available, the Library will be incorporating
more detailed information about serials holdings, indicating
which issues are available and where they should be requested.
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