About Virgo Online Catalog
VIRGO is the online catalog for the libraries of the University of Virginia. Users may search VIRGO to find the locations, call numbers and circulation status of titles at any of the University Library's branches, including the Law Library and the Health Sciences' Library. In addition to providing this basic information about titles, VIRGO can also be used to:
· Identify and search the full text and citation databases covered under the University's subscription licenses.
· Place holds and recalls for materials that are checked out, renew items, view your fines or place interlibrary loan requests.
· Link directly to online versions of selected titles on the Web.
Some of these services are restricted to UVA faculty, students and staff but anyone may register to obtain basic borrowing privileges.
User IDs and PINs
As part of the registration process, users are assigned an ID (usually your Social Security Number) and a PIN (usually the last 4 digits of your SSN). These are used for such activities as unauthenticated remote logins (see the Proxy Access section below), interlibrary loan requests, renewals, etc.
Access to VIRGO
All of the public computers in the Law Library have a VIRGO icon on the initial screen or "desktop". No ID or password is needed to connect to VIRGO from these machines. Users may also connect to VIRGO through the University's main web page found at http://www.virginia.edu or connect directly at http://VIRGO.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/vg.pl. Any web browser may be used to access Virgo although it is recommended that older versions of browsers be upgraded for best results.
Remote/Home Access
UVA-affiliated users who are connecting from outside the University have two options for accessing subscription services under University site licenses: they may register on the proxy server (see http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/proxy/) or install the “virtual private network” software, UVA Anywhere (see http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/pki/vpn/).
Subscription Databases
Virgo is a good source for finding titles that are available online in full text. Many titles (with the exception of Lexis and Westlaw files) in Virgo contain direct links to their respective subscription databases if they are under UVA’s site licenses. The catalog record for the Virginia Law Review, for example, includes links to HeinOnline and JSTOR where full text access is available to UVA users. Records with direct links are indicated by a Show URL button in the browse list of hits. (For more information see the Subscription Databases web page and the descriptions under Additional Features, below.)
Requests for Renewals, Recalls, Interlibrary Loans.
Users may place a variety of requests such as interlibrary loans, renewals, Ivy Stacks deliveries, and recalls by clicking on the User Services button (see User Services below) or by clicking on the Request Item or Recall Item when viewing a record in Virgo.
Virgo Locations
Catalog records in Virgo contain the following information about the location of the items: the holding library(ies), the stack location within the library, and the call number. Most Law Library location labels include the floor (LAW-FLOOR1) and some include the floor and special collection area (LAW2-INTL, LAW2-REF). LAW-IVY is the Ivy Stacks off-site storage facility and requests for delivery from Ivy may be placed from within the Virgo record. See the library maps for more information on library locations.
Virgo Searches and Services Options appear on the left frame of the screen and include options for specialized searches (Quick, Advanced, Call Number, Reserve Readings, Course Reserves, Videos, etc.),
database listings(Journal Articles, Newspaper Articles, Ebooks and Reference Sources) and services (Renew Items, User Status, Interlibrary Loans, etc.):
[Reserve Readings]
Search for items on course reserve using the course number or instructor's last name.
[Journal Articles/Newspaper Articles]
- VIRGO provides U.Va. Faculty, students, and staff access to a large array of Journal and Newspaper titles located in both citation and full text databases. These databases can be accessed from off-grounds and include databases such as LEXIS-NEXIS Academic, Infotrac, Dissertation Abstracts, Factiva, and Web of Science.
- A complete list of electronic texts and e-books licensed for use by UVA faculty, staff, and students. These may be read online with a web browser or users may download a free e-book reader.
- Virgo provides direct links to databases, dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, image collections, other library catalogs, and other reference tools.
- A form is provided for E-mailing your questions and comments to VIRGO experts or Library Staff.
- You will be able to process renewals of items checked out by using your ID and PIN. This is done simply by reviewing your list of items checked out and selecting to renew the desired item.
- Services include viewing the status of items you currently have checked out and possible fines owed, as well as viewing responses to any requests you have made. Other links under Services include Interlibrary Loan request forms, PIN change options, Renewals, and Purchase Suggestions.
- Here you’ll find information on library hours, circulation policies, library short courses, etc.
VIRGO Searching
By default VIRGO searches the holdings of all UVA libraries but users can limit their searches to a single library using the Library pull-down list on the main search page. Users can search VIRGO using fill-in forms for quick searches, advanced searches, special format searches (videos, electronic resources, etc.) or call number searches by using the Search Virgo links on the left side of the screen. Search types are either "keyword" searches (words anywhere in the record or in selected fields of the record), "first words" searches (authors, titles, etc. that begin with your search terms), or “exact” searches (search terms that match authors or titles exactly and completely). Each search screen contains sample searches and a Help button for more information on how to enter your search terms if further explanation is necessary.
This is the default search screen that is presented when you first connect to Virgo.
1. Enter your search term(s) in the box. Terms may be combined with and, or, adj (adjacent words, phrase search), and not. Use $ for variant endings: comput$ retrieves compute, computer, computation, etc. To limit your keyword search to author, title, etc., select the appropriate button in step 3.
2. To limit a search to a specific library, use the Library pull down menu on the right.
3. Select search type. Choose either a KEYWORD, FIRST WORDS, or EXACT search.
Use a KEYWORD search to find word(s) anywhere in a record. Use FIRST WORDS to find authors, titles, etc., that begin with your search term.
4. Initiate your search by clicking the appropriate button: Keyword, Author, Title, Subject (Library of Congress Subject Headings), MESH (Medical Subject Headings) or Journal Title.
Click on the Advanced Search link on the left of the screen.
1. Enter your search terms in their respective boxes.
The available search options are Keyword Anywhere, Author, Title, Subject, Series, Journal Title, and Medical Subject. You may combine searches by using more than one box at a time and choosing the appropriate connector from the pull down box to the right of search entry. Use $ for variant endings: comput$ retrieves compute, computer, etc. Use ? as a "wildcard" for a single character within a word: wom?n retrieves both women and woman, but not womanhood.
2. Limit Searches to specific Library, Language, Format, Item type or Location by using the pull-down menus and selecting the appropriate criteria. You may also specify the Publication Year by entering the exact year (1984), range of years (1861-1865), or search before or after a specific year (<1800, >1900).
3. Press the Search button.