Omni allows you to search the library's collections and beyond. On this page, you will find information on what is included in Omni and how to search effectively.
Omni has a lot to offer:
You can use Omni to locate titles within library collections at TMU and other Omni libraries. You can also use Omni to explore research topics, but please keep in mind that Omni – like other multidisciplinary indexes like Google Scholar – are not completely comprehensive so you should consult our subject databases and research tools to ensure you have the most comprehensive search possible.
When typing in your keywords, you'll notice that Omni presents different options to adjust the scope of your search. These are the search scopes, and they change where you are searching. Here's what they mean:
By default, your Omni search will show you books and physical items available for you to request at all participating Ontario Universities. It will also show you online resources provided by TMU Libraries such as eBooks, articles and videos.
Tip: If you only want to see physical items owned by TMU Libraries, just select the "Toronto Metropolitan University print and physical items" filter after you search.
By default, when you search Omni you will see records for print and digital materials which are available to you – either at our library, by ordering it from other Omni libraries, or by accessing it online through our website.
When you select Add results beyond our collection, you will also see records for digital scholarly material that we don't have access to. This serves to allow you to discover potentially relevant scholarly material from outside of collection. While you may not be able to access these materials directly, you can use the interlibary loan service to order this material.
Searching in Omni is like searching in any academic database. You can search by entering simple keywords, but you can improve your search results by including some of these tips and tricks.
TIP | EXAMPLE |
---|---|
AND is assumed between words | fish (AND) pollution (AND) lakes |
Quotations for phases | "great lakes"; "health science" |
Synonyms | OR between related words; habitat OR ecosystem |
Exclude words | NOT to exclude terms; gambling NOT lottery |
Alternate word endings | * for unlimited characters, especially used for word endings; cultur* for culture, cultural, and culturally |
Wildcard characters | ? for single character wildcard; wom?n for woman, women |
Brackets to group terms | Shakespeare (sonnet OR tragedy); "climate change" (ecosystem* OR habitat*) Ontario |