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Author Heading, Subject Heading, Call Number

• Author Heading
• Subject Heading
• Call Number
• Search Results of a Heading Search

Heading searches, which may vary from database to database, produce a list of headings that you can browse.
Note that limits do not function with Heading searches.

Author Heading

An Author Heading search allows you to search for:

• individuals (personal authors or editors)
• organisations (companies, associations, conferences or government organisations).

To search for individuals:

• Type in the family (last) name first, followed by initial or first name if known. You do not need to type in the whole word.
  • Example: shadbolt m

• For unusual last names you do not need to include initial or first name.
  • Example: winitana

• For common last names it is best to include at least part of the first name.
  • Example: smith pete

To search for organisations:

• Type in the first few words of the organisation name. For example, to find New Zealand Ministry of Research Science and Technology, type in: new zealand ministry of research

To find proceedings of conferences (meetings, congresses, symposia etc):

• Enter the name of the conference.
  • Example: international conference on wind

Subject Heading

Each record has subject headings to describe the topic of the book or other item.

The subject may be from one of the following authorised lists of subject headings:

• LC [Library of Congress] Subject Headings
• LC Subject Headings for Children
• LC Medical Subject Headings
• He Puna Kupu Maori / Maori Wordnet
• APAIS (Australian Public Affairs Information Service) is used for Index New Zealand.

To do a Subject Heading search, enter the first few words of the subject heading, omitting punctuation. You do not need to enter the whole word. Examples:

• chatham islands
• art maori history

If you want to find a suitable subject heading to use, start by using one of the keyword search options (e.g. Keyword Relevance) then look at the subject headings in the record to see which would be most useful. You can click on any subject heading in the record and you will be taken to a list of other items that also have this heading.

Call Number

You can locate items by searching by Dewey, Library of Congress or other call number. Te Puna searches for call numbers in holdings records that have been added by libraries.

• To do a call number search, enter the call number.
  • Example: 599 (the Dewey number for mammals).

Note the following:

• The decimal point must be included if present in a call number.
  • Example: 709.9

• Leaving a space is optional if present in a call number.
  • Examples: PR 203 or PR203

• The system automatically truncates on the right after the decimal point.
  • Example: 709.9 retrieves 709.9, 709.931 etc.

Search Results of a Heading Search

• An Author Heading or a Subject Heading search takes you to a list of author names or subject headings as applicable. See Headings List for more information.
• A Call Number search takes you to an alphabetical or numerical list of call numbers.
• If the database does not contain the author, subject or call number you search for, it will not appear on the list.

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