Enter a keyword search. To search for a phrase, use quotation marks, for example, sunlight soap will return results containing both the words, sunlight and soap. If you enter quotes e.g. "sunlight soap" this returns records containing that exact phrase.
Some search targets will let you use an asterisk * as a truncation symbol. For example, entering wom*n will get the same results as if you had entered woman OR women. (Caution: many search targets do not support the truncation symbol. If your search returns no results, try entering each variant of the term explicitly: woman OR women, house OR houses OR housing.)
A Search Profile is a group of Collections. Collections are resources such as databases, websites, and catalogs, etc. To see what is in the Current Search Profile, click on Collections.
If you've logged in, you can click the drop-down list to select a different Search Profile that will search a different set of Collections. You can also create and save your own Search Profiles, selecting your own combination of Collections. Your own Search Profiles are available every time you log in to ZPORTAL.
If you haven't logged in, and are not at a recognized IP address, only the default Search Profile will be available to you.
Collections are the resources you can search through ZPORTAL, such as databases, websites, and library catalogs. In the list of Collections you can select or de-select those to be searched.
Click
the information icon to show the Collection details in a popup window.
In here if there is a Collection URL
enabled, you can Click to search
the database using its own native interface e.g. EBSCO. A new window opens
while you still keep your ZPORTAL session.
If you want to search on something besides a keyword, Advanced Search gives you more options. You can search on up to 3 fields (such as author, title, subject, etc.). Plus you can combine search terms with Boolean operators (AND, OR, AND NOT).