OLIS web OPAC: Search tips
This guide provides tips on getting the best results from OLIS ( and on finding material specific to the Refugee Studies Centre Library. If you are new to OLIS, first consult the leaflets titled OLIS: Searching the web catalogue, guide 1 – getting started and OLIS: Searching the web catalogue, guide 2 – further functions. There is also help available on all the OLIS screens.
I can’t find the book ‘The price of indifference’ using the Browse search but I know the Library has a copy.
Delete ‘The’ and try again. Leading articles should be omitted when doing a Browse search.
How can I find the most recently published material?
Click on Search for keywords and submit your search. If you have less than 500 results you can sort the records by date published. At the top of the result list click on the Sort by option ‘Date’.
If you have more than 500 results or you want to search on a particular date or date range, click on Set/Clear Limits on the sidebar. Type the date(s) following these examples:
2001finds 2001 only
2001-finds 2001 onwards
2001-2003finds 2001, 2002, 2003
-2001finds 2001 and earlier
How can I tell if an item is in the grey boxes or on the book shelves?
As with the RSC web catalogue, this is not made explicit in the shelfmark or anywhere else in the record. From the result list click on the title to view the record display which gives more details about the item. The page numbers give an indication of where to look first and there may be other clues such as an ISBN or commercial publisher.
Too few or no records found
- Did you use the Browse search? The Keyword search usually works best for subjects.
- Check that you selected the right index to search. ‘All subjects’ is best for subject searching as this includes terms from the International thesaurus of refugee terminology. Use the Refine search option to change the index by editing the two-letter abbreviation to the left of the search term. In the example screenshot below au (for authors) should be changed to su (for subjects).
- Try truncating your search term. For example, typing rwand* will find Rwanda, Rwandans, Rwandese. However, as OLIS is such a large database your search may fail because there are potentially too many results.
- Think of alternative words or spellings and combine them using OR, for example camps OR settlements.
- Check the International thesaurus of refugee terminology in print in the Library or online at This is used to provide the specialised subject headings in the OLIS record. For example, searching for IDPs retrieves no records, whereas internally displaced persons (the thesaurus term) retrieves 225 records.
- If there is a record which is relevant, look at the subjects listed in the record display to check if there is a term that is more appropriate for your topic. Click on the term to find more records containing that term.
Too many records found
- Use the Keyword search to combine terms using AND. This makes your search more specific. For example searching for asylum retrieves 896 records, searching for asylum AND germany retrieves 33 records.
- Click on Set/Clear Limits to limit your search by date of publication, language or material type.
- Check the International thesaurus of refugee terminology for terms that may be more specific and then use the Browse search remembering to select the correct index from the drop-down list. For example, a browse search for asylum policy in all subjects retrieves 89 items compared to the keyword search for asylum policy in all subjects which retrieves 246 records.
Finding journal / periodical titles
Currently, only key academic journals are catalogued in OLIS. If you know the exact title type it in the Browse search box and select the index ‘Journal title’ from the drop-down menu. If you are not sure of the exact title but know a few words from the title use the Keyword search. If you cannot find the title, try the RSC web catalogue, consult the paper list of key periodicals or ask staff.
Finding videorecordings
Currently, OLIS contains records for videorecordings acquired by the RSC Library since July 2004 only. For earlier recordings search the RSC web catalogue. In OLIS use the Keyword search and type videorecording in one box, selecting the index ‘All titles’ from the drop-down list. Type your search term(s) in the second box, select the appropriate index and submit your search. Alternatively, use Set/Clear Limits and select the Material Type ‘Audio-Visual’ (see below). Click on Set Limits and do a Keyword search as normal.
I followed the hyperlinks in the record display and can’t get back to my original results
Click on History on the sidebar. This displays your previous searches. Click on a search to repeat it. Beware of the short session time – the system will log you out after 15 minutes of inactivity and you will lose your search history and any marked records.
Refugee Studies Centre Library, OULS
March 2006
Web
Tel. 01865 270298 Fax. 01865 270721