Emergency Medical Services

The STLCC Library Catalog allows you to search for books, multimedia items (streaming videos, DVDs, etc.) and other materials which the College Libraries own.

The two basic methods for searching the catalog are by keyword and by LC subject heading.  Most library users are not familiar with the official Library of Congress (LC) subject headings, so it's often a good idea to begin with a keyword search. Results of a keyword search can lead to appropriate subject headings.  Ask a reference librarian for help with subject searching.

Books and other materials owned by the STLCC Libraries are listed in the STLCC Library Catalog.  Each listing is called a record.  A powerful way to search for books on a particular topic is to perform a keyword search, which looks for records containing the words you use in your search.

Examples of keyword searches:

1. trauma  This very broad search looks for all catalog records containing the word trauma. 
2. trauma and children  This narrower search looks for all catalog records containing the word trauma and the word children. Connect two or more keywords in a search with the word and.
3. medical AND hazard*  Using an asterisk at the end of a word, called "truncation," lets you look for word variations with a single search. This search looks for all catalog records containing the word medical and any words beginning with hazard, such as hazard, hazards, or hazardous.

Library of Congress (LC) subject headings are special, standardized words and phrases which describe the primary subject(s) on which a book focuses.  Searching by subject heading rather than by keyword often allows you to look for books on a particular topic more efficiently. 

Since LC subject headings are included in a book's catalog record, looking at the records you get from a keyword search can help you identify appropriate subject headings. Ask A Librarian for help with LC subject searching.

Below are a few examples of subject headings you will find in the STLCC Catalog: