My Library Account - what can I do in there?

"My library account" allows you to view your account and see what items you have on loan as well as view holds (requested materials), bookings, fines and fees. You can also renew your books from this area.

Upon logging into BobCat, you'll see the "My library account" link in the "My Workspace" area on the right. Select the link to access your account information.

Happy searching!

Save Your Favorite Searches & Create Alerts

To save searches you'll need to sign into BobCat. Once you have signed into BobCat, conduct your search in the Books & More or Reserves tab. You'll then see an option to "Save Query" on the top left of your results list. Next you'll be asked to name your query and choose whether you want BobCat to automatically search again and alert you of results. You'll periodically receive emails containing updated search results.

If you opt not to set up an alert, your search will still be saved in your Workspace and you can choose when to search it again.

Happy Searching!

Saving Your Favorite Databases

Did you know you can make your own saved sets of databases?

The new BobCat interface makes saving databases in your own personalized sets a snap. Just follow these three easy steps:

1. Login to your workspace in the top right corner

2. Use the "Articles & Databases" tab or the "Databases A-Z" tab to locate the database of your choice

3. Click the small information icon, and then click where it says "Save database"

Now, when you click on the "My databases" link on the right you'll see your databases listed. You can create collections for all your different projects and add different databases to each one. You'll also have full "federated searching" (simultaneous searching across the databases) functionality for the databases you save.

Happy Searching!

Federated vs. Native Article Searching

BobCat's Articles & Databases tab is your gateway to finding article literature in your field. Here you will find all the most important databases in a particular subject area, information about each, and a tool that lets you search across multiple databases (known as doing a "federated search").

You should know, however, that there are certain situations where accessing the database individually via its "native interface" may be a better option than using the federated search. Not all databases are available for cross searching (you'll see a grayed-out check box), and federated searches do not give you as much control over your search or access to many of the most powerful features inherent in the databases.

Depending upon your needs, you may want to consider which is best. Here is a short comparison to help you decide:

Federated search:

*Many databases simultaneously

* Allows for simple, Google-like keyword searching

* Few search-refining options

* Good for overall picture, starting out, and casting a wide net

Native interface search:

* Generally only one database at a time

* Allows for powerful Boolean and multiple-field searching

* Many refining options, including limiters, faceting, and more

* Good for deep, advanced searching in a subject area

Happy Searching!

What is GetIt?

Did you know?

GetIt links together various library resources and services to help you get what you need fast.

Click on links that say GetIt within BobCat, or on the grey and red NYU button in our licensed databases, and GetIt will tell you your options for accessing the material.

GetIt will find resources whether online, in print, or any other format, and it will link you to services that provide Interlibrary Loan, give you Delivery Services options, help you manage your bibliography, and even allow you to push records to your phone and email. Be sure to log-in for request and delivery options specific to you.

Lastly, GetIt creates a persistent URL that you can use to get back to the resource.

Happy Searching!

Don't forget to sign out!

When you sign in to use some our research tools, you will automatically be signed into other resources. For instance, if you sign into NYUHome, you'll automatically be signed into BobCat when you visit that tool, as well as a few other applications.

This provides a great convenience, but remember always to sign out before you leave a public workstation. Even better, just close all your browser windows and you will be logged out.

Happy (and safe) searching!

Ask a Librarian from BobCat

Questions about our systems? Need help using our tools? Now you can Ask a Librarian right from BobCat!

In BobCat you can chat with a librarian from any screen, getting help when and where you need it!

You can also simply click the Ask a Librarian link on our library homepage and throughout our systems.

Ask a Librarian anytime at library.nyu.edu/ask . Ask a Librarian is available via Email, IM, text, phone or in person.

Happy Searching!

One e-shelf for all your tools!

The new e-shelf allows you to manage citations you've found searching BobCat tabs.

When searching for articles, databases, books, etc., you can add a citation to your e-shelf by selecting the 'add to e-Shelf' box below the citation. (Be sure to log in to permanently save records and see all your saved citations.)

Once in the e-shelf, you can select citations to email, print, or push to various bibliographic management tools. You can also organize citations using your own labels, sort them by title or date added, and view them by format.

Happy Searching!

Finding details about an item

Looking for more information about an item on your BobCat results list? Once you've conducted a search, click "Details" to access detailed bibliographic information, write a review, add a user tag, send & share the record and more!

"Details" links you to the same information clicking the title did in the previous version of BobCat.

Happy searching!

All your search tools in one place

BobCat integrates all our systems into one seamless interface:

Books & More

Search for books, journals and other print materials, videos, sound recordings, e-books, e-journals, databases, and indexes in local libraries and special collections [more ]

Articles & Databases

Get a list of databases within your subject area to search within, or search pre-selected groups of databases simultaneously [more]

Databases A-Z

Find databases by title. For example, ProQuest, ERIC, PsycInfo, ARTstor [more]

E-Journals A-Z

Search for journals to browse, or enter a specific citation to get to a journal article [more]

Course Reserves

Locate books and articles your instructor has placed on reserve at the Library [more]

Happy searching!