by Lynne L. VanWagenen of FamilySearch
The new, online Family History Library Catalog has several features that users have been waiting for. These changes should help make it easier to use the catalog and help searches be more productive.
Display Additional Places
In the old catalog, when you land on a place that does not have any titles, you are shown a list of similar places that do have titles. For example, if you search for. . .
The new, online Family History Library Catalog has several features that users have been waiting for. These changes should help make it easier to use the catalog and help searches be more productive.
Display Additional Places
In the old catalog, when you land on a place that does not have any titles, you are shown a list of similar places that do have titles. For example, if you search for. . .
New Amsterdam and find nothing, the old catalog suggests you look in New York instead.
The new catalog now has this same feature.
The new catalog now has this same feature.
The new catalog also shows the place notes, the “also known as” place names, and the “part of” places and “places within,” as the old catalog does. Here is an example for the Azores.
Display the Main Author in Bold Type
Titles in our catalog can have more than one author. The name of the main author is now displayed in bold:
Titles in our catalog can have more than one author. The name of the main author is now displayed in bold:
Names of Catalog Searches
The names of the catalog searches are now the same as they were in the old catalog:
The names of the catalog searches are now the same as they were in the old catalog:
Hide Catalog Places without Titles
There are some places in our catalog for which the Family History Library does not contain any titles. We have hidden these places instead of letting users conduct a place search for a place that we know will have no results.
Display Order for Volumes and Issues in a Serial Periodical
You can now see the bound volumes and issues presented in the order specified in the computer system that is used to create and manage the catalog (OLIB).
There are some places in our catalog for which the Family History Library does not contain any titles. We have hidden these places instead of letting users conduct a place search for a place that we know will have no results.
Display Order for Volumes and Issues in a Serial Periodical
You can now see the bound volumes and issues presented in the order specified in the computer system that is used to create and manage the catalog (OLIB).
Title Search includes Subtitles and Inclusive Dates
When you conduct a title search, the system now finds your search term in subtitles. Previously, it looked only in the titles:
When you conduct a title search, the system now finds your search term in subtitles. Previously, it looked only in the titles:
If you include a year, it will also search the “inclusive” dates. You must enter either the first or last year. It won’t find a date in the middle of the range.
For example, if you search for Barron 1877, you will find this:
For example, if you search for Barron 1877, you will find this:
If I search for Barron 1878, it finds nothing, even though 1878 is between 1877 and 1907.
