Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library
Books and More
Search the Library's catalog to find books and other materials (e.g., DVDs, videos, recordings, and more). If you are most interested in what the Library has added in the last two months, see our list of new materials.
And if you want to download audiobooks from home, look here for technical requirements info. 
Tips for Searching the Library Catalog:
How to Narrow a Search
The Library catalog provides advanced search features. These allow for narrowing a search, for a precise, smaller result set. This is generally done with Power Search.
Limit by intended audience (age group)
Enter a search word or phrase. Use item category 2 to select the intended audience. Options include adult, juvenile (children), and teen. (Power Search)
Limit by language
Enter a search word or phrase. Use language to select the language in which the material is written, spoken, or sung. Fourteen language options are available including, English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Hmong, Vietnamese, Khmer (Cambodian), Lao, Tagalog and Cebuano. (Power Search)
Note: This search method ALSO retrieves items translated from the selected language.
For example, results of a title search on Don Quixote, limited to Spanish include English-language translations of this classic novel.
Limit by publication year
Enter the search word or phrase. Enter year information in the Pubyear box (Power Search). Examples of years, include:
| Year(s) | Means |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1999 |
| 1999-2003 | From 1999 to 2003. |
| >1999 | After 1999 |
| >=1999 | 1999 to the present |
| <1999 | Before 1999 |
| <=1999 | 1999 and earlier |
Limit by publisher
Enter the search word or phrase (author, title, subject, keywords, etc.) and add:
AND publisher's name {260}
For example, the search for
McIntyre Vonda AND Bantam {260}
retrieves books by Vonda McIntyre, published by Bantam.
Multimedia
Search tips for movies, books on tape, music recordings, and language instruction follow.
Movies
Videorecordings - Any Kind
To retrieve movies in any format (DVD, video, etc.) use videorecording AND, followed by your search words.
DVDs Only
Use DVD videorecording AND, followed by your search words.
VHS Only
Use videorecording AND, followed by your search words. Then add, NOT DVD
Entertainment (not educational)
Use videorecording AND, followed by your search words. Then add, drama.
Educational (Nonfiction) Videos
Use videorecording AND, followed by your search words. Then add, NOT drama.
Actor or Director Search
Use videorecording AND, followed by the actor or director's name.
Books on Tape
To search for books on tape, use audiobooks AND add the author's name or title you wish to search for.
For example, to find books on tape by the author Tolkien, enter this search:
audiobooks AND Tolkien
Searches may be further limited by genre type or fiction/non-fiction classifications.
| Limit to | Use these words | And these words |
|---|---|---|
| Books on tape by genre (type of fiction) | audiobooks AND fiction AND | [Pick a genre: ] Christian, horror, humor, love stories, mystery, suspense, etc. |
| Nonfiction books on tape | audiobooks AND | [your search words] NOT fiction |
Downloadable Audiobooks
In 2006 eAudiobooks were introduced. These are audiobooks that you can download to your PC and then transfer to a compatible media player.
To find these, add search term downloadable audiobook to your search. (more info)
Music Recordings
To search for recordings in any format, use (audio or compact) AND, then add your search terms.
For example, to find recordings by Frank Sinatra, enter this search:
(audio or compact) AND Sinatra
To find only recordings on CD, use compact disc AND your search terms.
To find only audiocassettes, use audio AND your search terms.
For example, to find only audiocassettes of singer Johnny Cash, enter this search:
audio AND Johnny Cash
Searches for recorded music can include song titles, by putting the song title in single quotes in this way:
audio AND 'blue hawaii'
Language Instruction
To find language instruction media, use these search terms: audio or compact or audiobook AND [language name] language self-instruction. These can also be altered to search for videorecordings, DVDs, or only compact discs. For example, to find Spanish instruction on DVD, enter:
dvd videorecording AND Spanish language self-instruction
To find downloadable audiobooks on learning languages, search the NetLibrary website. These free downloads are provided to you as a service from the Library. You will need a library card to set up a NetLibrary account. Then you may download.
Other notes of interest
Perhaps what you are looking for is in a special collection, or maybe your subject is covered better by articles in newspapers or magazines. The Library also provides resources to provide recommendations for reading, based on your personal tastes or interests. In library jargon this is called readers advisory. If your interest is children's picture books, you will find recommendations on those as well.
Still need help finding something? Ask for help: Ask us. The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library also provides access to the California Catalog, where you may find a library that does have the item you are looking for. To extend a search beyond California, try WorldCat.org from OCLC. Other library catalog can be reached through Library Systems Worldwide. Ask library staff how you may borrow a book from a library outside San Joaquin County.
Want your own copy of a book? If you are determined to own your own copy of a book, even an older title, possibly out of print, try the Book Search page.
Photo Credits: Young woman reading (top): "Exploring," photo by Veronica Marzonie, Third Place Youth winner, Beyond Words: Celebrating America's Libraries Photo Contest, American Library Association, 1999; youth reading in a tree, courtesy of EBSCO Publishing; young girl at computer keyboard, Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library.