My Information Skills

Self-paced tutorials on research and study skills for TAFE SA students

Search the library catalogue

You can do a quick basic search of the library catalogue by typing keywords into the search box on the library homepage https://tafesa.spydus.com. This type of search will retrieve a broad range of resources, but will only retrieve results matching the keywords you entered - so it is important to give thought to the words and terminology you choose to use.

Library homepage search box

It is best to begin with a broad keyword search, and then filter your results further to shorten your list to only the most relevant items. 

To filter your search, for instance by narrowing your search results down to a particular type of material, or materials published within a specific date range, you can use the options in the Filter Results menu on the left:

Filter results menu

Or select Refine Results from the Options dropdown menu at the top of your search results to narrow your results even further. Here you can specify that you want results only for items kept at a particular campus, or specify the exact title or ISBN number you are searching for.

Options dropdown menu

The guide to searching the library catalogue will show you more techniques for successfully searching the catalogue.

You can also use the catalogue to reserve items currently on loan or located at other campuses, set alerts to be notified of new additions that may be of interest to you, and add reviews to items you've used.