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Omni, the Library Catalogue: Search Omni

Basic Search

The basic search is a default search on the University of Waterloo Library homepage. To begin your search, enter keywords relevant to your topic and press enter. 

Screen capture of search box on Library main page

Omni searches four different scopes:

  • Waterloo library + Omni Libraries: (default) Waterloo print and electronic, plus print resources from the other 15 Omni university libraries
  • Waterloo Library: Waterloo print and electronic resources
  • Waterloo online resources: Waterloo electronic resources
  • Waterloo + Laurier + Guelph Libraries: Waterloo print and electronic plus Laurier and Guelph print resources

Screen capture of  search scope options

Advanced Search

Advanced search allows you to use detailed search strategy to perform more targeted search.

Advanced search screen capture

You can search the following fields:

  • Author/Creator
  • Title
  • Subject
  • Call number
  • ISSN
  • User tags

Apply built in Boolean operators to connect search terms.

Filter results by specifying resource type:

  • Articles
  • Books & eBooks
  • Journals
  • Maps
  • Images
  • Sound recordings
  • Video/film
  • Theses & Dissertations

Filter results by language.

Pick a date range.

Searching Techniques

Use the following basic searching techniques to focus your search results

Apply Boolean operators

  • Use AND to search for multiple terms e.g. stock market AND trading
  • Use OR to search for synonyms e.g. teenagers OR adolescents
  • Use NOT to narrow your search e.g. apple NOT fruit

To search multi-word terms, enclose terms with quotation marks e.g. "climate change"

For alternate word endings use asterisk * e.g. attack* for attacks, attacking, attacker, etc.

Use question mark ? for single character wildcard e.g. wom?n for woman, women

If using multiple operators, group operators with parentheses as one would in a math equation e.g. (smoking OR tobacco) AND cancer

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