Searching in iBistro
How to Search
Tips for Author Searches
Tips for Title Searches
Tips for Subject Searches

Working with Search Results
Limiting Searches
Locating an Item
Placing Holds

Accessing Your Account
Review My Account, PIN Change, Renewals

Searching in iBistro

Using iBistro, you can search for books, videos, audios and other library materials in the 26 member libraries of the Old Colony Library Network. 

How to Search  

• Type your search terms in the Search For box.

• Select the type of search you want to conduct.

• Keyword finds records containing the words you typed.

• Browse brings you to an alphabetical list of authors, titles or subjects.

• Exact finds records that exactly match your search.

• Select the category in which you want to search, e.g. title, author, words or phrase.

• Select the location where you want to search

• Choosing All allows you to search all 26 libraries in the OCLN network.

• If you need the item today, you may want to limit your search to Brockton – All Locations or to one of the three locations within the Brockton Public Library System.

• Click on the Search button.

Tips for Author Searches 

• Type the name of the author in the Search For box.

• You can type the names in any order, but typing it last name first will be more helpful if you misspell one of the names.

• An author doesn’t just need to be the writer of a book. It can also be an actor in a movie or a singer on a CD.

• Leave the circle next to Keyword highlighted.

• Select author.

• Click on Search.

Tips for Title Searches 

If you are sure of the title:

• Type the first few words of the title in the Search For box.

• Click in the circle next to Browse.

• Select title.

• Click on Search.

• This search will bring up your title within an alphabetical list of titles. Click on your title to view a list of matching items.

If you can only remember certain words in the title:

• Type words from the title in the Search For box. Try to avoid common words like “the,” “is,” and “for.”

• Leave the circle next to Keyword highlighted.

• Select title.

• Click on Search.

• This search will bring you to a list of records with those words in their titles.

Tips for Subject Searches

Keyword searching:

• Type the words of your topic in the Search For box.

• Be as specific as possible. A search for United States History will bring up too many records.

• Use many words to narrowly define your search.

• Leave the circle next to Keyword highlighted.

• Select words or phrase.

• It may be tempting to click on Subject, but you should only do this if you are certain of the terms used in officials Library of Congress Subject Headings.

• Click on Search.

• This search will bring you to a list of titles with those words anywhere in their record.

Browsing subjects:

You can leisurely browse through subjects  using iBistro’s picture-based  Find It Fast and Kids’ Library features.

• Kids’ Library is a subject-based approach to finding materials for children.

• Find It Fast offers the same subject-based approach, but includes library materials for all ages.

Working with Search Results

Limiting Searches

If you come up with too many search results, you can refine your search by clicking on the Limit Search button.

• Use item category 1 to limit to a particular format, such as video, audio or book.

• Use item category 2 to limit your search results to juvenile, young adult or adult materials.

• You can choose a year of publication (2001) or a range of years (1999-2001) in the pubyear box.

• Other options are to limit materials to ones written in a particular language and to sort your results by author, title or relevance.

Locating an item

• After finding a title, click on the Full Details to view the record for the item.

• In the bottom portion of the purple box, you will see a list of libraries that own the item.

• Click on Holdings to see the call number and location for the item. This will also tell you if the item is checked out or otherwise unavailable.

• If Brockton does not own the item, you can still get it by placing a hold on it.

Placing Holds

If an item is owned by another library or unavailable at this time, you may place a hold on it.

• After clicking on Full Details to access the record of the item, click on the Hold button on the right side of the purple box.

• Type your library barcode number in the User ID box. (You must type the entire number.)

• Type your password in the PIN box. Everyone will start with OCLN as his or her password.

• Choose the library where you would like to pick up the item. Do not choose OCLN Central Site as your pickup location.

• Click on Place Hold.

My Account

• You can access information about your library account by clicking on the My Account button.

• To use any feature of My Account, you must have your library card number (User ID) and password. Everyone will start with “OCLN” as his or her password.

• Review My Account allows you to see which items are checked out to your account, the titles on which you have placed a hold, and any fines you owe the library.

• User PIN Change allows you to change your password from OCLN to one only known to you.

• Renew My Materials allows you to renew materials you have checked out.

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