Catalog Power Users: Save Your Searches

Portable search-light., Digital ID 1619543, New York Public LibraryPortable search-light., Digital ID 1619543, New York Public LibraryYou know who you are. Your hold requests are always maxed out. You have "nypl.bibliocommons.com" saved in your browser. You read a book review in the paper or hear an author interviewed on the radio and immediately think, "I should see if NYPL has that yet." You are a mystery nut, a nonfiction devotee, or a knitting enthusiast, always tracking down the latest titles by your favorite writers or on the subjects that matter to you most.

You are a library catalog power user, and we salute you!

A brand new feature now allows you to save search terms to use again later. This will help you save keystrokes as well as your memory of particularly fruitful search strings! Reasons you might want to save a search? To see what's new and get at the top of the holds list, or if your search turns up too many useful items than will fit in a list (lists max out at 32).

Step 1: Visit nypl.bibliocommons.com. Enter your subject keywords or an author's name and click Search.

Step 2: Sort by either date acquired or published date.

Step 3: Narrow by format, if you have a preference (if you're looking just for new ebooks, for example).

Step 4: Click Save Search.

Step 5: Give your search query a name.

If you're not already logged in to BiblioCommons, you'll be prompted to do so.

Now you can see all of your saved searches by going to http://nypl.bibliocommons.com/user/saved_searches

Some sample searches for a series, an author, and a subject of ebooks.Some sample searches for a series, an author, and a subject of ebooks.Click on the Search Name to perform the search again at a later point in time, and click edit to adjust the parameters of the search query.

Special bonus helpful hint: If you use a feed reader and want your search results delivered to you as an update, scroll to the very bottom of any search results page. You will see an orange RSS symbol. Grab that feed to get your favorite search terms regularly updated in your reader of choice. More library RSS feeds here.

We hope you find what you are searching for!