Author Search

Definition

An Author Search will retrieve authors, editors, composers, translators, arrangers, illustrators, etc. An author may be an individual or an organization, institution, government body, conference or symposium. (If you are looking for materials ABOUT someone or an organization, use a Subject search in the basic search or Subject search in the Guided Keyword search.)

Search Strategies

Select Author from the search options and enter the last name followed by the first name. If the author is an organization, type the organization's name in normal word order. The results are a list of the authors beginning with the words that were searched.

Boolean Operators and Search Limits (Quick and More) do not function in an Author Search.

Examples:
Search:  sontag susan
Finds: susan sontag
   
Search:  national academy of sc
Finds: national academy of science.
  national academy of science and technology (Philippines)
  national academy of sciences.
  national academy of sciences (Allahabah, India)
  etc.

For names with connectives (von, de la, der), follow the conventions of the person's country or language or try placement variations.

Examples:
Search:  gogh vincent van
Finds: vincent van gogh

When there are variant forms of authors' names, such as pseudonyms, the More Info link in the search results headings list will supply you with related headings that may also be searched to find works by the author. Click on the More Info link for additional name forms or related names.

Examples:
Search: Twain, Mark
Finds: Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 with a More Info link to:
    
   Search also

   For works of this author entered under other names, search also under:
            Clemens, Samuel Langhorne, 1835-1910,
            Snodgrass, Quintus Curtius, 1835-1910

In corporate author names the term department may be abbreviated to dept.; search using both forms to ensure that all relevant records are retrieved.

Search both acronyms and full names to retrieve all relevant catalog records. Search ama as well as american medical association.

Search hierarchical names in full descending order; for example, catholic church diocese of arras.

Alternative Search Options

If you do not find what you are looking for using an Author Search, try a Keyword search or a Guided Keyword search and type in whatever information you know. For example, if you do not know the specific name of an organization, try a Keyword search using what parts of the organization name you do know.

If you would like further assistance, Ask a Librarian for help.