Preorder Searching Procedure
(Including Book-in-hand searching)

The process of preorder searching comprises several distinct functions:

• A search of the Library’s holdings to determine if the requested item is already on order or part of the collections.
  
  
• Confirmation of the accuracy and completeness of the bibliographic citation
  
  
• Identification of related titles in the Princeton collections.

Searching procedure

1. Evaluate the bibliographic information in hand to determine the appropriate searching strategy, which will change depending on the reliability of the bibliographic information and the date of the publication requested.  For example, a handwritten order recommendation should probably be verified in RLIN prior to searching the catalog; however a bibliographic slip from a reliable vendor can be searched in Voyager without using RLIN for bibliographic verification.

2. Search Voyager in the Cataloging module (staff-side searching)

• Search by title or keywords. If no match, search by author. Suggested search mechanism is Non-keyword/Title (BIB) ; or, in the case of common or generic titles, search builder, where you can easily combine author and title searches
  
  
• If the author exists as a heading in the catalog, note down the format used so that it can be duplicated on the order.
  
  
• Note the results of your search (See Notations on Order Recommendations)
  
  
• If you find a match, click on the record structure display icon to see the location and/or order status

3. Search Voyager in Cataloging to check for standing orders for serials, sets, periodicals and monographic series. ( See Series Checks in Voyager)

• If you find a match to the search for series, serial or bookset title, use the Record menu>View line items in Acquisitions to check for a standing order.
  
  
• Note the results of your search (See Notations on Order Recommendations)