5.1.4 CQL Query Searching in FOLIO Inventory

Constructing a Query Search, using CQL

In FOLIO, enter the Inventory app
Click on the record type you wish to search: Instance, Holdings, or Item
Click on the search type drop-down and select “Query search”
Type your query in the format:

search field operator “value”

1. You can enter multiple queries through the use of Boolean operators:

search field operator “value” and search field operator “value”

Click Search

For a list of Search Fields, see below

Operators

The operators used in a query are dependent on whether the search fields are full text or term (with some overlap between the two).

Full text: Any free text field (a.k.a. variable field in MARC)

title any “semantic web”

Term: Predefined fields, numeric fields, date fields, some free text fields

metadata.updatedDate > "2020-12-12"

Full Text Operators

Operator	Example	Result
any	title any “semantic web”	Matches records with either “semantic” or “web” in any title field
all	title all “semantic web”	Matches records with both “semantic” and “web” in any title field (including different fields), in any order, not necessarily adjacent (e.g., “semantic computer web”)
=	title = "semantic web"	Works the same as all
==	title == "semantic web"	Matches records with both “semantic” and “web” in a title field, in that order, not necessary adjacent (e.g. “semantic computer web”)
== with a string modifier	title ==/string "semantic web"	Matches records with the phrase “semantic web” in a title field
<>	title <> "semantic web"	Matches records with neither “semantic” nor “web” in a title field
	title = "mode* europe*"	Allows for wildcards in search terms (i.e., would match both any word beginning with “mode” and any word beginning with “Europe” in any title field) Wild cards may be used either at the beginning or the ends of strings (“LEISURE” or “LEISURE”)

Term Operators

Operator	Example	Result
=	hrid = “mobiusin000001”	Exact match
==	hrid == “mobiusin000001”	Exact match
<>	hrid <> “mobiusin000001”	Does not match
<	metadata.createdDate < “2024-10-31”	Created date is before 10/31/2024 (not inclusive)
<=	metadata.createdDate <= “2024-10-31”	Created date is on or before 10/31/2024 (i.e., inclusive)
>	metadata.updatedDate > “2024-10-31”	Updated date is after 10/31/2024 (not inclusive)
>=	metadata.updatedDate >= “2024-10-31”	Updated date is on or after 10/31/2024 (i.e., inclusive)
	hrid == “mobiusin*”	Allows for wildcards in search terms Wild cards may be used either at the beginning or the ends of strings (“982” or “mobiusin”)

Operator Spacing

The operators any and all require space characters before and after the operator:

title all “semantic web”

The operators =, ==, <>, <, <=, >, >= do not require spaces, but do not object to them either:

hrid==”mobiusin*”

hrid == “mobiusin*”

This documentation will show these operators with and without spaces. Both will work.

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators are used to combine queries

Operator	Definition	Sample Query	Result
and	Combines criteria to limit results	contributors all "Mary" and contributors all "John"	Retrieves records with both the values ”Mary” and “John” in a contributor field
or	Combines criteria to expand results	contributors all "Mary" or contributors all "John"	Retrieves records with the value ”Mary” in a contributor field plus records with the value “John” in a contributor field
not	Combines criteria to exclude data	contributors all "Mary" not contributors all "John"	Retrieves records with the value “Mary” in a contributor field minus records with a value “John” in a contributor field

Boolean Operator “not”

To exclude a set of data from a query, you can use cql.allRecords=1 which retrieves all records in the database, combined with a not Boolean operator:

cql.allRecords=1 NOT contributors=Smith

(Retrieves all records in the database that do not have the value “Smith” in a contributor field.)

Empty or Undefined Values

A defined value is one that is present, i.e., the field is there and has a value. An empty value is a define value that is “blank”. An undefined value isn’t present at all.

For example, item notes are added to Item records. If there is no item note added, the Item Note field is undefined. If an item note has been added, but it has no content, it is defined, but empty.

In the FOLIO record display, empty and undefined fields may look the same for fields that are always present, such as the Series Statement field in Instance records.

cql.allRecords=1 can be used to identify records with undefined fields.

Conditions	Sample Query	Instance display
Field is defined	item.notes.note=””	Item Note field is present and has a value (which could be “blank” or something else)
Field is defined and not empty	item.notes.note=”” NOT item.notes.note==””	Item Note field is present and has a value other thank “blank”
Field is defined and empty	item.notes.note==””	Item Note field is present and has a “blank” value
Field is not defined	cql.allRecords=1 NOT item.notes.note=””	Item Note field is not present
Field is defined and not empty or not defined	cql.allRecords=1 NOT item.notes.note==””	Item Note field is either present with a value other thank “blank” or is not present

Nesting allows clarification of combined Boolean operators

Without nesting, the query:

title all "prarie" and contributors all "Mary" or contributors all "John"

retrieves over 20 thousand records because the Boolean operators are being applied in order.

By nesting the search terms, the query

title all "prarie" and ( contributors all "Mary" or contributors all "John" )

correctly retrieves a single record.

Limiting by Record Type

If you want to search for a given value or string over multiple fields in a given record type, you can use record type limits in your query.

Query Term	Operator Type	Sample Query	Description
cql.all	full-text or term	cql.all all "semantic web"	Matches instances that have given text in instance, item and holding field values.
cql.allItems	full-text or term	cql.allItems all "book"	Matches instances that have given text in item field values
cql.allHoldings	full-text or term	cql.allHoldings all "it001"	Matches instances that have given text in holding field values
cql.allInstances	full-text or term	cql.allInstances any "1234567"	Matches instances that have given text in instance field values

Search Fields

Instance Search fields

Field	Accordion	Query term	Operators	Sample Query
Administrative note	Administrative data	administrativeNotes	full-text	administrativeNotes all "librarian note"
Alternative Title	Title data	alternative.Titles. alternativeTitle	full-text	alternativeTitles. alternativeTitle all “semantic web”
Authority ID	n/a	authorityId	term	authorityId == "81ae0f60-f2bc-450c-84c8-5a21096daed9"
Authority ID (Contributor)	n/a	contributors. authorityId	term	authorityId == "81ae0f60-f2bc-450c-84c8-5a21096daed9"
Classification (Call #)	Classification	classifications. classificationNumber	term	classifications. classificationNumber ==“cl1”
Contributor	Contributor	contributors	full-text	contributors all "John"
Contributor Type (Name)	Contributor	contributors. contributorTypeId	term	contributors. contributorTypeId == "Author"
Created	Administrative data	metadata.createdDate	term	metadata.createdDate > "2021-03-01”
Electronic Access (URI + Link Text + Materials Specified + Public Note)	Electronic access	electronicAccess	full-text	electronicAccess any "resource"
Format Term	Descriptive data	instanceFormatIds	term	instanceFormatIds == "unmediated -- volume"
HRID	Administrative data	hrid	term	hrid=="mobiusin*"
Index Title	Title data	indexTitle	full-text	indexTitle all "semantic web"
ISBN	Identifier data (where Resource Identifier Type = ISBN)	isbn	term	isbn="1234*"
ISSN	Identifier data (where Resource Identifier Type = ISSN)	issn	term	issn="1234*"
Keyword (Resource Title + Alternative Title + Index Title + Series Statement + Resource Identifier + Contributor Name)	Title data + Identifiers + Contributor	keyword	full-text	keyword all "semantic web"
Language	Descriptive data	languages	term	languages == "eng"
Link Text	Electronic access	electronicAccess. linkText	full-text	electronicAccess. linkText = ”Folio website”
Mode of Issuance	Administrative data	modeOfIssuanceId	term	modeOfIssuanceId== "single unit"
Name	Contributor	contributors.name	term	contributors.name all "John"
Name Type	Contributor	contributors. contributorNameTypeId	term	contributors. contributorNameTypeId all “Personal name”
Nature of Content	Descriptive data	natureOfContentTermsIds	term	natureOfContentTermIds =="journal"
Note	Instance notes	notes.note	full-text	notes.note all "librarian note"
OCLC #	Identifier data (where Resource Identifier Type = OCLC)	oclc	term	oclc="1234*"
Primary (Contributor)	Contributor	contributors.primary	term	contributors.primary ==true contributors.primary ==false
Public Note	Electronic access	electronicAccess. publicNote	full-text	electronicAccess. publicNote=”a rare book”
Public Note (where “Staff only” is not selected)	Instance notes	publicNotes	full-text	publicNotes all "public note"
Publisher	Descriptive data	publisher	full-text	publisher all "Publisher of Ukraine"
Resource Identifier	Identifiers	identifiers.value	term	identifiers.value = "(OCoLC)*"
Resource Identifier Type	Identifiers	identifiers. identifierTypeId	term	identifiers. identifierTypeId ==”OCLC”
Resource Type	n/a	instanceTypeId	term	instanceTypeId == "text"
Series Statement	Title data	series	full-text	series all "series"
Source	Administrative data	source	term	source=="MARC"
Staff suppress	Administrative data	staffSuppress	term	staffSuppress==true staffSuppress==false
Status (Instance) Term	Administrative data	statusId	term	statusId == "Marked for deletion"
Subject Heading	Subjects	subjects all "Chemistry"	full-text	subjects all "Chemistry"
Suppress From Discovery	Administrative data	discoverySuppress	term	discoverySuppress== true discoverySuppress== false
Tags	Term	instanceTags	term	instanceTags== "important"
Title (Resource Title + Alternative Title + Index Title + Series Statement)	Title data	title	full-text	title all "semantic web"
Uniform Title	Title data	uniformTitle	full-text	uniformTitle all "semantic web"
Updated	Administrative data	metadata.updatedDate	term	metadata.updatedDate > "2020-12-12"
URI	Electronic access	electronicAccess.uri	term	electronicAccess.uri= “http://folio.org*”
UUID	n/a	id	term	id=="db2fdba3-1764-5354-9efb-ad2be1d6b404"

Holdings Search Options

Field	Accordion	Query Term	Operators	Sample Query
Administrative Note	Administrative data	holdings. administrativeNotes	full-text	holdings. administrativeNotes all "librarian note"
Call Number (Call Number Prefix + Call Number + Call Number Suffix)	Location	holdingsFullCall Numbers	term	holdingsFullCall Numbers="cn*434"
Call Number (normalized)	Location	holdingsNormalized CallNumbers	term	holdingsNormalized CallNumbers="cn434"
Created	Administrative data	holdings.metadata. createdDate	term	metadata.createdDate > "2020-12-12"

Electronic Access (URI + Link Text + Materials Specified + Public Note)	Electronic access	holdings. electronicAccess	full-text	holdings. electronicAccess any "resource"
Holdings Identifiers (UUID + HRID + Former Identifier)	Administrative data	holdings Identifiers	term	holdingsIdentifiers == "ho00000000006"
Holdings Notes	Holdings Notes	holdings.notes. note	full-text	holdings.notes.note all "librarian note"
Holdings Public Notes	Holdings Notes, where the Staff Only box is unchecked	holdingsPublic Notes	full-text	holdingsPublicNotes all "public note"
Holdings Type	Administrative data	holdings. holdingsTypeId	term	holdings. holdingsTypeId== "Physical"
Holdings Type ID	???	holdingsTypeId	term	holdingsTypeId== "3*"
HRID	Administrative data	holdings.hrid	term	holdings.hrid== ”atsuho*"
Link Text	Electronic access	holdings. electronicAccess. linkText	full-text	holdings. electronicAccess. linkText="Folio website"
Permanent Location	Location	holdings. permanentLocationId	term	holdings. permanentLocationId =="CCIS General Stacks"
Public Note	Electronic access	holdings. electronicAccess. publicNote	full-text	holdings. electronicAccess. publicNote="a rare book"
Source	Administrative data	holdings. sourceId	term	holdings.sourceId== "FOLIO"
Statistical Code ID (NOT the code type and NOT the code)	n/a	holdings. statisticalCodeIds	term	holdings. statisticalCodeIds =="123765"
Suppress from Discovery	Administrative data	holdings. discoverySuppress	term	holdings. discoverySuppress== true holdings. discoverySuppress== false
Tags	n/a	holdingsTags	term	holdingsTags== "important"
Updated	Administrative data	holdings.metadata. updatedDate	term	metadata.updatedDate > "2020-12-12"
URI	Electronic access	holdings. electronicAccess. uri	term	holdings.electronic Access.uri= "http://folio.org*"
UUID	n/a	holdings.id	term	holdings.id== "db2fdba3-1764-5354-9efb-ad2be1d6b404"

======Item Search Options======

Field	Accordion	Query Term	Operators	Sample Query
Administrative Note	Administrative data	item. administrative Notes	full-text	item.administrative Notes all "librarian note"
Barcode	Administrative data	item.barcode	term	item.barcode== " 39835000386924"
Call Number, Full (Call Number Prefix + Call Number + Call Number Suffix)	Item data	itemFullCall Numbers	term	itemFullCallNumbers= "cn*434"
Call Number, Normalized	Item data	itemNormalized CallNumbers	term	itemNormalizedCall Numbers="cn434"
Call Number Type (Supported values: “lc”, “dewey”, “nlm”, “sudoc”, “local”, “other”)	Item data	callNumberType	term	callNumberType = "lc"

Circulation Note	Loan and availability	item.circulationNotes.note	full-text	item.circulationNotes.note all "circulation note"
Effective Location ID	n/a	item. effectiveLocation Id	term	item.effective LocationId=="be64699e-10fe-48e1-8ca3-4c5785cdbf22"
Created	Administrative data	item.metadata. createdDate	term	item.metadata. createdDate > "2020-12-12"
Electronic Access (URI + Link Text + Materials Specified + Public Note)	Electronic access	item.electronic Access	full-text	item.electronicAccess any "resource"
HRID	Administrative data	item.hrid	term	item.hrid=="atsuit*"
Link Text	Electronic access	item. electronicAccess. linkText	full-text	item.electronicAccess.linkText="Folio website"
Identifiers (UUID + HRID + Former Identifier + Accession Number + Item Identifier)	Administrative data	itemIdentifiers	term	itemIdentifiers all "i*:bridges"
Material Type	Item data	item.materialType Id	term	item.materialTypeId= "430d7452-9f83-4fe6-9cf0-b6abf0cdfac6"
Note (Item Note + Check In/Check Out Note)	Item notes + Loan and availability	item.notes.note	full-text	item.notes.note all "librarian note"
Public Note	Electronic access	item.electronic Access.publicNote	full-text	item.electronicAccess.publicNote="a rare book"

Public Note (Item Note (Staff Only unchecked) + Check In/Check Out Note)	Item notes + Loan and availability	itemPublicNotes	full-text	itemPublicNotes all "public note"
Shelving Order	Item data	item.effective ShelvingOrder	term	item.effectiveShelving Order="A 12"
Status	Loan and availability	item.status.name	term	item.status.name== "Withdrawn"
Suppress from Discovery	Administrative data	item.discovery Suppress	term	item.discovery Suppress=true item.discovery Suppress=false
Tags	n/a	itemTags	term	itemTags="important"
Updated	Administrative data	item.metadata. updatedDate	term	item.metadata. updatedDate > "2020-12-12"
URI	Electronic access	item.electronic Access.uri	term	item.electronic Access.uri= "http://folio.org*"
UUID	n/a	item.id	term	item.id== "db2fdba3-1764-5354-9efb-ad2be1d6b404"