A key feature of a collection management system (CSM) is the ability to effectively search your collection for research and administrative purposes. CatalogIt enables you to perform simple searches with free-text search and complex queries with structured search.

For an in-depth look at searching your collection in CatalogIt, check out our MasterIt article below.

MasterIt Resource - Using Free-Text and Structured Search in CatalogIt

Click the Magnifying Glass in All Entries or in any Folder to perform a free-text search or a structured search. 

When performing free-text searches, you can add some structure to the query. Here are some helpful tips for executing more complex free-text searches:

• Spaces are treated as an AND function.
  • If you search for “Margaret Jones”, you'll get all results that include both Margaret AND Jones.
• Use the vertical bar symbol, |, between words as an OR function.
  • If you are searching for everything that includes either a dog or a horse, your search would be dog | horse.
• Use quotes “ ” around a string of words to find Entries that include that exact string of words.
  • If you are looking for a blue glass jar, you can type the phrase “blue glass” and your results will only include items that contain the exact phrase “blue glass.”  You can further refine your results by searching “blue glass jar", and if that exact phrase is used in an Entry, it will appear in the search results.
• Use the + symbol between words to find Entries that include all of those words.
  • If you type in blue+glass, your results will only include the entries that include the word blue AND the word glass. You can string together several words this way to narrow a search.
• Combine quotes “ ” and the + symbol. 
  • A search for “blue jar”+tin will result in entries that include both the exact phrase “blue jar” as well as the word “tin.” You’ll find the blue glass jar with a tin lid.
• Use the - symbol to exclude terms. 
  • A search within All Entries of -wood would result in all of your Entries that did not include the word “wood.”
• Use the + and - symbols together. 
  • A search of basket+-willow will result in all of your baskets that did not include the term “willow.”
• Use the * symbol as a "wild card" suffix. 
  • A search of harris* will result in entries that include the name Harris, as well as Harrisville, Harrison, Harrisburg, etc.,  and any other words that start with “Harris.”