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LANCE FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is LANCE?
A: LANCE, which stands for Libraries And Networks Cooperating in Education, is a cluster or group of Missouri libraries, within the MOBIUS library consortium (see below). The LANCE Library Catalog is an on-line public access catalog, including the collections of the following Missouri libraries: Culver-Stockton College, Hannibal-LaGrange College, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Linn State Technical College, Moberly Area Community College, and Truman State University.

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Q: What is MOBIUS?
A: MOBIUS, also known as Missouri Bibliographic Information User System, is a consortium of academic libraries with fifty member colleges and universities in the state of Missouri. The largest single project for which MOBIUS is responsible is The Common Library Platform project. The CLP creates a virtual collection of the approximately 14 million items in the libraries of Missouri's colleges and universities and creates a single user interface that allows faculty and students to request library materials using any personal computer in any location with access to the Internet. Requested materials are delivered within one or two days of being requested by the MOBIUS Delivery System. [more]

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Q: How long will I be able to keep books that I borrow?
A: 21 days. You may renew each item twice for 21 days if it is not needed elsewhere.

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Q: How many books can I have out at one time?
A: At the MOBIUS level undergraduates may have 10 items, faculty and graduate students may have 20 items at one time. However, each library has its own limits regarding total items checked out, so you should inquire at your local library.

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Q: How do I perform an AUTHOR search?
A: Enter a last name first. Punctuation and caps are not needed. For example:

   dickens charles
   dickens ch 
   dickens
   dicke

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Q: How do I perform a TITLE search?
A: Type the first few words of the title in correct order. For example:

   little house on the prairie
   little house

Always try alternatives:

   nato         n.a.t.o.
   1984         nineteen eighty four

The system automatically translates & to and:

   arts & crafts

To stop truncation of a title, use the pipe |. (Find it above the ENTER key--Use SHIFT)

   time
   time|

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Q: How do I perform an AUTHOR/TITLE search?
A: Use the last name of the author and any word(s) in the title. For example:

   author - hemingway
   title  - tolls bell 

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Q: How do I perform a SUBJECT search?
A: Subject searches look for terms only in the subject field.

   missouri history 

The pipe will stop the system from searching further.

   missouri    will bring up missouri census, missouri maps, etc.
   missouri|   will only bring up missouri. 

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Q: How do I perform a KEYWORD search?
A: A keyword search will treat your words as a phrase if you do not include an operator.

Typing physically disabled will only find "physically disabled". It will not find "disabled physically". It will not find: "physically and mentally disabled".

If however, no items are found with the phrase, the system will then search for the words connected with the AND operator. If "physically disabled" gets no results, the system will next look for "physically AND disabled".

Use the asterisk * as a wildcard. For example:

   comput*    will bring up compute, computer, computing, etc.

You may also use Boolean operators (AND/OR/NOT) along with nesting. For example:

   football or soccer
   (england or britain) and (middle ages or medieval) and church*
   clinton not (bill or william)

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Q: How do I perform a CALL NUMBER search?
A: Spaces make no difference except for the year at the end.

   pr 9199.3 a8 r6 1993
   pr9199.3a8r6 1993

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Q: How do I perform a JOURNAL AND NEWSPAPER search?
A: Type the first few words of the title in correct order. For example:

   newsweek
   New York Times

NOTE: this search does not find individual articles. To find individual articles, use a periodical index.

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Q: What is the SEARCH HISTORY for?
A: Click on the arrow to bring down the searches you have done. You may select any one of them to bring back those particular search results.

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Q: What does the LIMIT/SORT button do?
A: This button becomes available only after you have done a search. You may sort your search results by language, format, publisher, date, etc. However may perform this same function by using the Advanced Keyword Search.

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Q: How can I EXPORT/PRINT selected search results?
A: Follow these steps:

1. Search for a topic.
2. Mark records by clicking in the boxes next to each title on the list, then click on SAVED MARKED RECORDS at the bottom of the screen.
3. OR click on SAVE RECORD if you are looking at an individual item.
4. When you are ready to do something with your list, click on EXPORT SAVED LIST.
5. Choose from the FORMAT options. The Pro-Cite and End-Note options will only work if your institution has site licenses for these programs. Check with your local library.
6. Specify where you want your list to go.

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