Primo basics: introducing to the platform and how to access types of resources.

1. Primo
• PRIMO BASICS
• SEARCHING AND
ACCESSING
INFORMATION
SOURCES

2. Primo: basics
Primo
◦ One stop shop searching tool
◦ UCT Libraries collection
◦ physical collection (Library Catalogue)
◦ electronic resources: articles, e-books, e-newspapers,
thesis (OpenUCT), …  all databases
◦ Other Primo user institutions / libraries

3. Primo: basics …
Primo …
◦ Signing in to Primo provide
◦ Access to electronic resources
◦ Personal favourite folder for building
◦ Personal library for items of interest
◦ List of search statements and search histories
◦ My Library Card which allows you to manage your loan and
request activities

4. Primo: basics …
Access Primo from
UCT Libraries
page:
www.lib.uct.ac.za

5. Primo: basics …
Searching
panel
Information
panel

6. Primo: basics …
Filtering
options

7. Primo: basics …
Expand each
field for more
options

8. Primo: basics …
ExcludeInclude

9. Primo: basics …
Primo resource pool
UCT
>2,250 institutions
worldwide contribute
to Primo resource pool

10. Primo: basics …

11. Primo: Conducting search and accessing
Specific / known search: when part
of an item is known
Keyword / key phrase / topic search

12. Primo: Conducting search and accessing …
Browses: indexed list of UCT catalogue (Books and journal
titles)
Title: Ignore ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’ if positioned at start of title
Author: surname, given name

13. Primo: Conducting search and accessing …
Practical exercise:
Find the following item and identify the type of resource
Title – The globalization and environment reader
Author – Peter Newell and J. Timmons Roberts

14. Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Primo: Simple search
For topic / keyword
search
You can specify where to search.
Search everything searches all.
Physical
collection

15. Primo:
Conducting
search …
Primo: Advanced
Search
For topic / keyword
search
More options to specify your search

16. Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Resource type
information:
• Journals
• Articles
• Book

17. Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Resource format
information:
• Electronic
resource =
‘Available Online’
• Physical items =
physical location

18. Links to direct access
to e-resources
Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Accessing electronic
resources
• have full text links
from access
providers

19. Shelf number
Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Physical items
location
• Branch library
• Shelf location
• Shelf number /
spine label = like
street number

20. Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Requesting for items
• not on the shelf or
• in branch library
Select Request link
and pick-up location
and submit. You will
be notified to collect

21. Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Electronic resources
can be identified the
‘Available Online’
designation

22. Links to directly
accessing the
content
Link to journal
profile page
Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Electronic resources
• Full text can be
obtained through
direct links

23. Article access
from more
than one
database links
Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Electronic resources

24. Multiple Versions
Primo:
Conducting
search and
accessing …
Multiple Versions
• Reflect editions of
an item

25. Thank You
For more information
Library guides: BIO1004F - Biological
Diversity or Biological Sciences
Library guide
For consultation & specific query: email
me at awot.gebregziabher@uct.ac.za
or use Ask a Librarian facility