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Boolean Operators

Using Boolean operators when searching can help refine search results. In the examples below the highlighted portion of the circles is where you would find search results using the given Boolean operator.

• AND: Search results include items with all conditions met.  Limits the results.

Example: chocolate AND vanilla

• OR: Search results can have either condition met.  Expands/broadens the search. 

Example: chocolate OR vanilla

• NOT (a.k.a. AND NOT): Search results will not include the specified term.  Limits the search. 

Example: chocolate AND vanilla NOT pistachio

Other Search Techniques

• Parentheses: Search terms can be layered or nested in order to build more complex searches.  Items in parentheses are searched first.

Example: (chocolate AND vanilla) NOT (strawberry OR pistachio)

• Quotation marks: Search results will include the listed terms in that exact order. Only used when searching with multiple words.

Example: Compare results for rocky road ice cream vs. “rocky road ice cream”

• Truncation: Search results will include variations of the root word.

Example: A librar* search will include results with library, libraries, librarian, and librarians because all those words have the root librar.