Boolean logic allows you to create a search using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). These operators allow you to create searches that are more focused than NoveList's other searches. Boolean logic and operators are not unique to NoveList. If you are familiar with these concepts and techniques, you can use your knowledge to search NoveList. If you are unfamiliar with Boolean logic or operators or if you need a quick review, the information presented below will be helpful.

AND: This operator requires that a record have both or all of your search criteria in order to be retrieved in your search results list. Titles having only one or less than all of your search terms will not appear in your result list. You can use a Boolean AND to focus your search so that you only get titles that are of interest to you. For example, a search for girls AND horses will only retrieve titles that contain both words in the record and not titles that only have one of the words (such as girls) in them. In this case, using AND narrows your search (the green in the Venn diagram) so that you do not retrieve titles that deal with the girls and dogs instead of horses. Using the AND operator is a way to narrow your search when you get too many titles in your result list.

OR: This operator requires that a record have at least one of the words that you entered in your search. For example, a first-grade teacher looking for some picture books about either cats or dogs can enter "cats" OR "dogs" and select the Easy reading level to find books about cats OR dogs. Using the OR operator would not require that a book have both cats AND dogs in order to appear on the list (green in the Venn diagram). Using the OR operator is a way to broaden your search when you get too few titles in your result list.

NOT: Sometimes we know what we don't want in a book. You can use the NOT operator to make sure that books in your result list do not contain something that you do not like or something that does not interest you. If a class now wants books about dogs but not about cats and dogs, the teacher could enter: dogs NOT cats (green in the Venn diagram). This search would retrieve titles that involve dogs but NOT titles that involve dogs and cats.

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