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HuskieSearch Help: Home

Provides helpful tips and hints for using Huskie Search and Library Services.

What is HuskieSearch?

With HuskieSearch you can:

  • Search multiple resources simultaneously, including print and eBooks, movies, articles from some of our databases and collections from 80+ libraries in Illinois.
  • Make Interlibrary Loan, I-Share, and digitization requests through “My Library Account”.
  • Save and manage your search results, as well as create an RSS feed.

What is being searched?

HuskieSearch allows you to search multiple library collections simultaneously, but what kinds of resources can you find with each of these options?

Everything: Search NIU collections, articles and thousands of online resources.

Articles & More: Find electronic resources like articles, eBooks, dissertations, videos, etc. from most NIU databases.

I-Share Libraries: Find and order books and more from 90+ academic libraries in Illinois.

Library Catalog: Search books, eBooks, DVD’s, CD’s and more at NIU.

Course Reserves: Search print materials placed on reserve for your class.

E-Books: Search for ebooks at NIU.

WorldCat: Search and order library materials from around the world.

Graphic is has been adapted from an image originally created by SUNY Geneseo.

HuskieSearch Video

Important Terms to Know

Articles & More: Allows patrons to search for articles for journals and newspapers, conference proceedings, web resources, reports, and videos

Citation Linker / Fetch Item:  Permits patrons to find a specific journal article, journal or book by entering known citation information

Database: A searchable electronic collection of records, offering citations, abstracts, and sometimes full-text documents; these can be multidisciplinary (i.e. JSTOR or Academic Search Complete) or subject-specific (i.e. PsycINFO or Dance in Video)

Facet: Used to filter results in patron searches (e.g. filtering by resource type, author/creator, genre, etc.)

Find It: Helps patrons find out how/where to access an item—whether it is available in an NIU database or through Interlibrary Loan (formerly SFX@NIU)

Get-It-Now: Information delivery service that allows patrons to access some articles on-demand, within eight hours of the request

Journal Search: Allows patrons to search for a journal by its title Loans Items checked out to a patron, whether those materials are from NIU or another I-Share Library

Location: Where the item is stored or shelved (e.g. Graphic Novels or Main Collection)

My Favorites: Listing of saved records, searches, or history; it can be accessed by clicking on the “My Favorites button.” Patrons must be signed in to save or access saved records, searches, or histories

My Library Account: Provides information on loans, requests, fines, and blocks, as well as personal details, such as the patron email address and expiration date of library credentials

NIUILLIAD/WorldCat: Interlibrary loan of materials outside of I-Share

Requests: Items patrons have requested from NIU or another I-Share Library that have not yet been checked out to the patron

Query: All words or phrase entered in order to find materials (e.g. “autism spectrum disorder,” “Dickens, Charles,” or “children AND adolescents”) are a search query Search Scope Defines where the system should search (e.g. the NIU Library Catalog, Course Reserves, All I-Share Libraries, etc.)

Similar Items: Creates a search based on the author of the item from the previous search

Subject Guides: Webpages with detailed information and links to resources on a particular topic or field of study; these are created and curated by subject specialist librarians