Life Science Lab Assistant Program

Begin in the STLCC Catalog to find books in the library. Two basic methods for searching are keyword and subject searches. 

KEYWORD SEARCHING

Some examples of keyword searches include:

• biotechnology
• microbiology
• lab techniques
• lab safety
• laboratory science
• electrophoresis

NOTE: Use the connector "AND" to separate distinct concepts in your search.  Use the connector "OR" to separate synonyms in your search. Use the truncation symbol * to find variant words. For example, biotechnology AND lab safety would find all the records in the library catalog containing both the words biotechnology and lab safety. A search, biotechnology OR microbiology, would find all catalog records containing either of the words biotechnology OR microbiology. You will get fewer but more specific results using AND.

SUBJECT SEARCHING

When you click on what looks like a good search result from a keyword search, it is always a good idea to look at the subject heading assigned to it. Scroll down to view a section called LC SUBJECT. LC (Library of Congress) subjects are formal headings assigned to the topic or person you are searching. Clicking on an assigned subject heading will often give you better search results than a keyword search provides. A keyword search is often done to determine the formal subject heading assigned to a topic.

Example subject headings:

• Mathematics -- Laboratory manuals.
• Chemistry, Organic -- Laboratory manuals.
• Food -- Biotechnology.
• Agricultural Biotechnology

Here are a few examples of books available in the STLCC system of libraries.