What is CONSULS?

Searching CONSULS

Locating items in the library

Requesting Items

Renewing Items

What is CONSULS?

Connecticut State University Library System

The CONSULS library catalog includes the holdings of the Connecticut State University Libraries: Eastern Connecticut State University, Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Western Connecticut State University, and the holdings of the Connecticut State Library in Hartford.

Materials in CONSULS include:

Books

Journal Titles & Dates of Subscription

Newspaper Titles & Dates of Subscription

VHS, DVDs, and CDs

CONSULS Services

Note: A Library PIN Code is needed for ECSU students, faculty, and staff use of the following CONSULS services.

• View your Library account to see if books are due, etc.
• Request items from other CSU libraries
• Cancel requests for CSU materials
• Renew CSU books online
• Access course reserve articles online

Note: A Library PIN Code is also needed to access the Library's databases off-campus

Searching CONSULS for Library Holdings

Keyword Search:

Use a Keyword Search if interested in a topic or an idea and don't have a specific title, author, or subject heading.

A Keyword Search can search multiple words as a phrase (example: Supreme Court, Computer Science)

A Keyword Search can look for your word(s) anywhere in a record: Title, Author, Subject, or within the notes.

For other search options such as by Author, Subject, Title, Advanced, etc. select each separately.

Limiting a search to only one CSU Library or the State Library can be done by selecting the drop down (see below). Select "Search ECSU" if only interested in materials at the Smith Library. Type in your keyword, then press "Submit." Also note the "Search ECSU Reference" option. This is helpful when you are only looking for encyclopedias, dictionaries, or other reference-related materials.

Using the "Advanced Search" tab there are several options for limiting a search by the library location, material type, language, and date options. There are also options to sort results by relevance, date, or title.

Locating Items in the Library

(example of a search for materials at ECSU about "globalization and economy")

Note: It is not necessary to place an "AND" between search terms as shown below, CONSULS will automatically look for all of the Keywords so that EACH result will contain ALL of the terms in the search box.

Two records below that show where to find the materials.

Note the Location, Call No., and Status to locate the item(s).

Requesting Items in CONSULS

The purpose of using the "Request" feature in CONSULS is to obtain materials that are not at the J. Eugene Smith Library but are found at another CSU library (CCSU, SCSU, & WCSU)

You can also use "Request" to let the library know you would like a book that is currently checked out. Check the status of a book to determine if it is available. A book that is checked out will have a due date in the status column.

Note: You cannot request Reference books because they do not circulate.

After initiating a search there are two ways to request materials in CONSULS:

1) Within a list of records, select "Request" to the left of each title:

OR

2) Within the record, select the "Request" button at the top of the page:

Once a request is made the following screen will be displayed: This is when you need a Library PIN Code.

Once you have created a PIN and click "Submit", your Library record will be displayed as shown below. You can select the "Items currently checked out" link to view the list of Library materials you currently have checked out.

Renewing Items in CONSULS

First, login to your library record. There are several ways to do this within CONSULS or from our library home page.

Once you have logged in with your Library PIN code you can view your library record. This is where you can renew your Library materials by selecting the item(s) you want renewed and clicking "Renew Selected" as shown below. You cannot renew an item if it is overdue. Please be sure to pay any fines or bills. There are also buttons for modifying your PIN and personal information.

Choose "Help" (found in the top, right of the CONSULS screen or in box to the right) to get more details about using CONSULS. Or, contact a reference librarian to answer any questions.