Basic search

Basic search searches simultaneously in the Turku University Library's collections, international electronic resources (Primo), Finnish articles (Arto) and the collections of the National Repository Library in Kuopio. The search results are shown in different tab pages.

Possible Boolean operators must be typed in capital letters (AND/OR/NOT). If search words are separated only by spaces, the search results are the same as when using the AND operator, i.e., the search results contain all the search words you have entered. For example, mannerheim carl produces the same search results as mannerheim AND carl. For more information on Boolean operators, see below.

NB! The searches try to recognise different Finnish and English word forms. If you want to search an exact word form, write the search term within quotation marks.

Basic Search Results

The results of the basic search are shown on four different tab pages:

The Books, journals, databases tab page contains results from the printed and electronic collections of Turku University Library (e.g. books, journal titles, theses). The system searches the old Volter, Doria, and the list of e-journals

The International articles tab page shows references to international electronic resources (e.g. articles). The search is done in the Primo database. Please note that the results may include references to materials we do not have access to. These materials can be ordered via our interlibrary services. Also note that not all our electronic collections are included in Primo. For more information on library's electronic collections, see our ResearchGuides.

The Finnish articles tab shows results from the Arto database. The availability of these articles must be checked separately.

The National Repository Library tab displays results from the National Repository Library located in Kuopio.

Advanced search

In advanced search you must first choose the right tab page for the search: library collections, international e-materials, Finnish articles or National Repository Library.

Search fields

The Advanced Search page has several search fields in which you can enter search terms and phrases. The different search field are combined with AND.

Adjacent to each search field is a drop-down menu, from which you can select the field of the relevant record (all fields, title, author, etc.). If necessary, you can target a search to several fields by using several search terms.

Match drop-down

The match dropdown defines how to handle a query with several search fields:

• ALL Terms (AND) – Searches for records that match the content of all search fields.
• ANY Terms (OR) – Searches for records that match the content of one or more search fields.
• NO Terms (NOT) – Searches for records which do not feature the content of any of the search fields.

Add Search Field allows you to add a new search field to the form.

• Add Search Group allows you to add search fields for a new group.
• Remove Search Group allows you to delete groups.

To define the relationships between search groups, use the ALL Groups (AND) and ANY Groups (OR) search operators.

How to log into Volter-Finna

Logging in allows you to access various online services. You may for instance check and renew your loans, place requests or save your favourites.

All users may log in using the Turku University Library card. You can also log in with your UTU user name. The first time you log in with your UTU user name, you should add your library card number. Remote access to electronic resources requires the use of UTU user name.

Favourites

You can add records to your favourites using the heart-shaped button on the search results page or the record page. You can sort selected records into lists of favourites, export records to RefWorks or email them.

Saved searches, search history and new entries alert

You can save your latest searches either on the search results page or by selecting Save in the latest searches under your saved searches.

Saved searches appear at the top. You can use the new entries alert to receive emails about new records either weekly or daily.

Changing your PIN code

You can change your PIN code under My information. If you have not changed it before, the PIN code is your date of birth in format ddmmyy.

Logical search operators

You can combine terms into complex queries with Boolean operators. The following operators can be used: AND, +, OR, NOT, and -.

NB! Boolean operators must be typed in CAPITAL LETTERS.

AND

AND is the system’s default operator for multi-term queries that do not include an operator. When using the AND operator, the records included in the search results feature each of the terms in the search fields.

For example, to search for records that include both “economics” and “Keynes”:

economics Keynes

or

economics AND Keynes

OR

OR gives results where either one or both terms occur.

For example, to search for records that include "economics" or "Keynes":

economics OR Keynes

NOT

The NOT operator excludes records that contain the following term.

To search for documents that contain "economics" but not "Keynes" use the query:

economics NOT Keynes

Phrase searches

You can search for an exact phrase by writing your search terms within quotation marks.

For example, to search only for records which include the phrase “mediaeval history”, not “mediaeval cultural history” or similar phrases:

"mediaeval history"

Phrase search can also be used for single word. Search is then exact match of a search word without any other conjugations.

Wildcard characters

? replaces one character in a search term.

For example, the terms “text” and “test” can be searched for using the same query:

te?t

* replaces one or more characters in a search term.

For example, the terms “test”, “tests” and “tester” can be searched for using the query:

test*

Wildcards can also be used inside of a search term:

te*t

NB! The wildcards ? and * cannot replace the first character in a search term.

Fuzzy searches

A fuzzy search generates results in which words similar to the actual search word also appear.

~ carries out a fuzzy search when used as the last character in a single-term search.

For example, a fuzzy search for the term “roam”:

roam~

This search finds such terms as “foam” and “roams”. The similarity of the search to the original term can be regulated with a parameter between zero and one.

The closer the value is to one, the more similar the term will be to the original term. roam~0.8

roam~0.8

The default value of the parameter is 0.5 if it is not separately defined for a fuzzy search.

Proximity searches

Proximity searches look for documents in which the search terms are within a specified distance, but not necessarily one after the other.

~ performs a proximity search at the end of a multi-term search phrase when combined with a proximity value.

For example, to search for the terms “economics” and “Keynes” when they appear within a distance of no more than ten terms from each other:

"economics Keynes"~10

Range searches

Range searches can be conducted using either curvy brackets { } or square brackets [ ]. When using curvy brackets, the search takes into account only the values between the terms entered, excluding the terms itself. Square brackets, in contrast, also include the terms entered in the range searched for.

For example, to search for a term that begins with the letter B or C using the query:

{A TO D}

For example, to search for the values 2002–2003:

[2002 TO 2003]

NB! The word TO between the values must be typed in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Weighted search terms

^ assigns a weight to the search term in a query.

For example, to assign added weight to the search term “Keynes”:

economics OR Keynes^5