Conduct a Basic Search

Destiny Library Manager offers flexible searching options with its Basic search feature. Use simple search terms or phrases to find materials, and set limiters to narrow your results.

While Basic search is primarily used by librarians and school staff, Destiny Discover is the main search interface for students. For a more complex search, conduct a Power search.

Searches

Basic search sub-tab.

To conduct a Basic search:

  1. Select Catalog > Library Search > Basic sub-tab.
  2. In the Find field, enter a search term or phrase.

    Note: You can use Boolean operators and skip common stop words.

  3. To narrow your search, select any of the limiters, such as Location or Material Type.

    Notes

    • When limiters are selected, online databases are excluded. To learn more, see Search Results (One Search).
    • To remove all limiters, click the Reset All link next to the Find field.
  4. Select one of the following search buttons:
    • Keyword: Finds the term you entered within the title, author, subject, series, and notes fields in the district’s title records. This is the broadest type of search and is best used when you have a complex search term that contains keywords from more than one category.

      Click here to see an example of a Keyword search.

    • Title: Finds the term you entered anywhere in the item's title.

      Click here to see an example of a Title search.

    • Author: Finds the term you entered for authors or illustrators, by full or partial name.

      Click here to see an example of an Author search.

    • Subject: Finds the term you entered for titles about a particular subject, topic, person or place.

      Click here to see an example of a Subject search.

    • Series: Finds the term you entered in a series name, such as Goosebumps or The Baby-Sitters Club.

      Click here to see an example of a Series search.

View Search Results

After clicking a search button, search results appear on up to four different sub-tabs, depending on material type.

  • Titles lists the media center materials matching your search term, including eBooks and audiobooks.
  • Web Sites lists the websites that have information about the search term. If your media center subscribes to WebPath Express, each entry has a link to open the website.
  • One Search lists the resources in your online databases, if your media center subscribes to One Search.
  • Digital Resources lists videos, pictures and sound files from a digital provider, if your media center has them. Each entry has a link to play the resource.

Any of these materials and resources can be added to a Resource List.

To learn more, see One Search Results and Find Digital Resources.

Other Basic Search Page Features

Besides searching, on this page you can also:

  • See the top 10 most popular titles in your library (if available) by clicking Top 10. To learn more, see View Top 10 Titles.
  • View or repeat any searches that you have previously done by clicking My Searches. To learn more, see Use Search History.

For search tips, see Library Search FAQs.

For more information on training resources, visit Follett Community.

Keyword Example

To search for all items with the word west, type west and click Keyword.
Search Results could include:

  • Faster Than a Horse: Moving West with Engine Power by Suzanne Hilton (The title has West in it.)
  • West Virginia by Wende Fazio
    (The title begins with West.)
  • West Side Story
    (The title begins with West.)
  • The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West
    (The author's name is West.)
  • Thrilling Events: Life of Henry Starr
    (The book is about outlaws in the Old West.)
  • Anansi Does the Impossible!: An Ashanti Tale
    (The story takes place in West Africa.)
  • The Gunfighters by Paul Trachtman
    (The book belongs to the series, The Old West.)

If the list is too large, enter a more specific term, or choose another search type.

Title Example

To search for all items with the word west in the title, type west and click Title.

Search Results could include:

  • Faster Than a Horse: Moving West with Engine Power by Suzanne Hilton
    (The title has West in it.)
  • West Virginia by Wende Fazio
    (The title begins with West.)
  • West Side Story
    (The title begins with West.)

Author Example

To search for all authors with the word west in their name, type west and click Author.

Search Results could include:

  • The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West
  • The World Almanac of Presidential Campaigns by Eileen Shields-West
  • After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection by James West Davidson and Mark Hamilton Lytle

Author and illustrator names are stored in similar places in the records, so you can search for items illustrated by a particular person using the same steps.

Subject Example

To search for all subjects pertaining to the word west, type west and click Subject.

Search Results could include:

  • A Treasury of Western Folklore
    (The book is about folklore in the U.S. West.)
  • The Silk and Spice Routes by Struan Reid
    (The book is about trade routes between the Far East and the West.)
  • Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery by Stephen E. Ambrose
    (The book is about their expedition in western America.)
  • Nathanael West: The Art of His Life by Jay Martin
    (The book is a biography of Nathanael West.)

Series Example

To search for all series that include the word west, type west and click Series.

Search Results could include:

  • Henry Brown: The Outlaw-Marshal by Bill O'Neal
    (This book is in the series, The Early West.)
  • Weather in the West: From the Midcontinent to the Pacific by Bette Roda Anderson
    (This book is in the series, The Great West.)
  • Fundamentals of Logic Design by Charles H. Roth, Jr.
    (This book is in the West Series in Electrical Engineering.)