A short introduction to searching the internet and the San Francisco Public Library catalog

1. Searching the Internet

2. WHAT WE WILL LEARN TODAY
1. Internet Explorer web browser
2. Finding websites when you know the web
address
3. Using a search engine
4. Using the library catalog

3. PART 1 - WEB BROWSER
A web browser is a computer program that you use to request and
display web pages
 Internet Explorer (IE), Firefox and Safari are all web browsers
SFPL uses Internet Explorer web browser

4. Title Bar Minimize, Resize, Close
Toolbar
Address Bar
Tabs
Scroll Bar
Links

5. Important Toolbar Buttons
The Back button allows you to go back to a previously viewed page
The Forward button allows you to move forward a page
The Home button takes you back to your default Homepage (the
page you see when you open your browser)

6. Parts of a Web Address
(World Wide Type of Web
Web) Site (Domain)
http:// www. sfpl. org
Hypertext Transfer Name of the
Protocol Web Site
Tips:
 The address must be entered exactly correct
 Always type a web address without spaces
 “http://” is not required

7. Types of Websites
The 3-letter ending is often a clue to what kind of website it is:
• .com – business or commercial (google.com)
• .org – often a nonprofit website (sfpl.org)
• .edu – educational website (www.sfsu.edu)
• .gov – governmental website (www.nasa.gov)

8. PART 2 - FINDING WEBSITES WHEN YOU KNOW
THE WEB ADDRESS
To start your web browser, double-click the icon.
Click inside the address bar to highlight the current web address.
The current web address will become highlighted in blue. Anything highlighted will be
erased by your first keystroke.
Type the new web address. Press the Enter key.

9. Let’s look at some websites
sfpl.org – San Francisco Public Library
sfgate.com – San Francisco Chronicle
nytimes.com – New York Times
craigslist.org - Craigslist
calacademy.org – Academy of Sciences
sfgov.org – City and County of San Francisco
amazon.com - Amazon

10. PART 3: SEARCH ENGINES
Search engines look for keywords and return a list of webpages
where the keywords can be found.
www.google.com (the most commonly
used search engine)
www.bing.com (another search engine
to try)

11. Tips for Searching GOOGLE
1. Use plain language – search for the words you want to
appear in the results, (e.g., salary negotiation tips; lasik eye
surgery)
2. Be specific – use more terms to narrow your search, e.g.,
use java indonesia or java coffee NOT java; babies
development NOT babies
3. Be brief – use a few precise words, e.g., quit smoking
program NOT program on quitting tobacco cigarette smoking
addiction
4. Use the navigation bars and advanced search to limit your
search results

12. A E
B
C
D
A Search Box
B Search Button
C Advanced Search
and Preferences
D + E Navigation bars

13. PART 4: LIBRARY CATALOG
Just like you can use Google to search the Internet, you can use
the library catalog to search for library materials.

14. Searching the Library Catalog
A
B
Two ways of searching the catalog:
A More like Google, good for general searches and quick searches for
DVDs
B More like the card catalog used to work, good for more detailed searches

15. Login
Search button
More results
Request
Limit by
format
Limit by
location
Limit by
language

16. Limit by format, language and location
Limit by
Location
Search
options
Search Button
More Results

17. Formats in the Library Catalog
a

18. Find more books by
the same author
Is it
Which Where in the
available
library has it? library is it?
now?
Find more books on
the same topic

19. Let’s Practice