Introduction to GPO on SilverPlatter CD-ROM NMSU Library Documents Unit J. Smith and L. Horton, Compilers Fall 1995 The GPO (Government Printing Office) on SilverPlatter CD-ROM is an index to bibliographic records for government publications distributed by the U.S. Government Printing Office. It is an easy-to-use computerized version of the Monthly Catalog. Because this depository library selects about 63% of items distributed by the GPO, some materials listed are not available in the library. Materials not held by the library may be obtained through Interlibrary Loan. Coverage begins with July 1, 1976. Advanced user instructions are found in the Advanced Tips for Using GPO on SilverPlatter CD-ROM handout. How to Search Your Topic Before you begin to search the database for records on your topic, identify the keyword(s) that best express your research subject. Example: crime Press F7 (Restart) twice to display the Title Screen, if not already showing. To search your topic, type the keyword(s) at the FIND prompt on the Title Screen: FIND: crime Press ENTER The system searches for records containing your keyword(s). The results of your search appear on a screen similar to this, along with the number of records retrieved. No. Records Request #1 1599 crime How to Narrow Your Search When too many records are retrieved as in the example above, you can use and to limit search results to only those records containing both terms. The previous search, as this example indicates, can be better focused by narrowing the topic to gangs. FIND: crime and gangs No. Records Request Press ENTER #2 1599 crime #3 37 gangs #4 19 crime and gangs How to Truncate Search Terms Placing an asterisk (*) at the end of a word root finds all records containing any word that begins with the root. For example, truncating the word root crim* will retrieve records containing "crime," "crimes," "criminal," "criminals," "Crimea," "crimeproof," "criminality," "criminalize," "criminalizing," "criminally," and "criminology." How to Broaden Your Search When the results of your search are too few, use or to search for terms related to your topic, and retrieve records containing either term or both terms. FIND: drug* or narcotic* No. Records Request Press ENTER #5 5833 drug* #6 1221 narcotic* #7 6783 drug* or narcotic* How to Combine Searches Type the desired line numbers, for example #4 and #7, at the FIND prompt, and press ENTER. No. Records Request #8 6 #4 and #7 How to Display Your Search Results To display the results of your last search, press F4 (Show). Use the up and down arrow keys or Page Up and Page Down Keys to browse through the records. You can discontinue browsing at any time and return to your search screen by pressing F2 (Find). 1 of 6 Note: The classification number is SU: J 28.24:G 15 in the first SU field. Use the AU: Block,-Carolyn-R.; Block,-Richard number with all of the CA: National Institute of Justice (U.S.) punctuation in it. Microforms TI: Street gang crime in Chicago. are indicated by an (MF) in the SO: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Dept. of Justice, IT field. Locate the document [1993]. by number in the Documents IT: 0718-A-03 collection or ask the staff for DE: Gangs-Illinois-Chicago. assistance. Drug-traffic-Illinois-Chicago. How to Mark, Print, and Download Your Search Results To mark records for printing or downloading use the up and down arrow keys to position the cursor on the desired record. Press ENTER. An asterisk (*) will indicate that the record has been marked. Repeat procedure to mark all desired records before printing or downloading. To unmark a marked record, position the cursor on the marked record and press ENTER. To print the records you have marked press F6 (Print). Then press ENTER. To change the print options, press F6 (Print), then press C (Change Options). Make the desired changes and press ENTER. Your printout will include your search history. To download, use a double-sided high density disc formatted for an IBM compatible computer. Press D (Download), then C (Change Options). Select options, including correct drive, and press ENTER. How to End Press F7 (Restart) twice to erase your search history and display the Title Screen. Jeanette Smith and Leilani Horton, New Mexico State Univ Library