Search Tips


  1. CC LINC is a Consortium of 44 North Carolina Community Colleges that offers access to over 1.8 million items through Web Cat. To browse MTCC's holdings, type in the title, author's name (last name first), of a subject. Click on the appropriate circle below the well. To search all consortium libraries, scroll up to "ALL" in the library well. MTCC's library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System. Special Tip: Always use the Web Cat (blue circles) back and forward buttons, not your browser's buttons.
  2. Think like a thesaurus! Try "child rearing" instead of "child raising."
  3. When searching databases, use quotes for phrases (like above) and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, FOLLOWED, BY and ADJ) to narrow a search. Example: "Attention Deficit Disorder" AND adults NOT children. AND may also be a + sign, NOT a - sign. Near means the words are found within a few words apart in the sentence. FOLLOWED BY and ADJ set the order, as in: Parental FOLLOWED BY responsibility.
  4. If you are unable to find a category in a search, try using one word - the more words, the more limited the search.
  5. When using NC LIVE's EZ Search, not all of its databases may be accessed. Check "Browse Resources" for categories with more specific database searches. For example the category, "Legal" under "Browse Resources" offers Bills from the NC General Assembly, Legal Track via Gale, and a Legislative Directory. In all, there are over 40 databases on NC LIVE. Always click on Full Text if you do not want general citations.
  6. If you need a book from another member library of the Consortium, see Inter-Library Loan policies.
  7. If you have questions, you may email Gabrielle Thompson, Coordinator of Library Services.


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