The searches do not allow wildcard characters (*), but do allow you to type in only part of a search term (i.e. "Cri" for "Crisp"):
Surname Search
A surname search is primarily used to find published family histories. It will not find surnames listed in individual microfilm records such as census records. A surname search will provide you with a list of titles of catalog entries tied to surnames that match your search and the main author for each title. Some of the published family histories are only available in book form and have not been microfilmed. Books listed in the Family History Library Catalog cannot be sent to Family History Centers. You can request that a book be microfilmed, however (ask a staff member at your FHC for help), but this may take several months if the library has to obtain copyright permission to do so. It may be faster to try to obtain the book elsewhere, such as a public library or from the publisher.Author Search
This search is primarily used to find catalog entries by or about a certain person, organization, church, etc. The author search finds records which include the name you typed as the author or the subject, so it is especially useful for finding biographies and autobiographies. If you are looking for a person, type the surname in the Surname or Corporate Name box. Unless you have a very rare surname, I would also type all or part of the first name in the First Name box to help limit your search. If you are looking for an organization, type all or part of the name into the Surname or Corporate box.Film/Fiche Search
Use this search to find the titles of items on a specific microfilm or microfiche. It is a very exact search and will only return the titles on the particular microfilm or microfiche number that you input. The results will include an item summary and the author for each item on the microfilm. The Film Notes may contain a more detailed description of what is on the microfilm or microfiche. To view this additional information, select the title and then click on View Film Notes. Film/Fiche search is especially useful for finding the records available on a film/fiche which is listed as a reference in Ancestral File or the IGI. I also use the film/fiche search to look for additional background on any film I plan to order, because sometimes the film/fiche search will include references to other relevant microfilm numbers.Call Number Search
Use this search if you know the call number of a book or other printed source (maps, periodicals, etc.) and want to learn more about what records it contains. On a book’s label, call numbers are usually printed on two or more lines. To include both lines of the call number in your search, type in the information from the top line, then a space, and then the information from the bottom line. Unlike other searches, this one is case-sensitive, so be sure to type in upper and lower case letters where appropriate. Call number search is probably the least used of all of the searches, but can still be very useful in cases where people list an item and its call number as a reference source without any indication to the information which it contains.The online Family History Library Catalog is a window to the two million plus records (print and microfilm) which the Family History Library maintains in its collection. For those us us around the world who can't easily make it to Salt Lake City, UT, it is absolutely invaluable both as an avenue for research and as a learning tool. Practice using the different searches and play around with different techniques and you may find yourself amazed at the things you find.
