Homework Help: How do I find a book?

How do you search the library catalog?

The three easiest ways to look up a book are by Title, Author, or Keyword.

If you need a book about a particular topic and don't already know the title or author, you should do a Keyword search.

What if I'm having trouble finding a book using a Keyword search?

You may need to use synonyms. Also, if your original keyword was plural, make it singular (or vice versa). If you can find just one book that looks like what you need, you can also scroll down the page to the Subject section. When you see a subject heading that looks useful, you can click on it and get a list of other books on that same subject.

What do I do once I find a book that I need?

When you click on the book's title, you will see a list of library locations that own that book. Look under the Status section to see whether the book is available. It will either be Available, In Transit (on its way between library locations), On Holdshelf (reserved for someone else), or checked out (in which case you will see a due date).

How do I know which books are available at my location?

Once you have pulled up a list, you can limit your results to just those books that are at the library where you are. To do this, click on Modify Search, then choose your branch from the Location category and click on Submit. At this point, you can go into each record to see whether the item is available (since it could be checked out, in transit between branches, or on hold for someone).

Getting Your Books

You found a book, but it is at another branch. Or your book is checked out. Or we don't even own the book you need (it was on your reading list). What do you do now?

If you find a book at another library branch, you can request to have it sent to another branch for you to pick up. Or, if your book is checked out, you can put yourself on a waiting list so you can get it when it is returned. For both of these options, use the Request button in the catalog when you find the book you want.

If you need a book that the library doesn't own, you can ask the Interlibrary Loan department to look for it for you. Interlibrary Loan borrows books, articles, and even videos and dvds from other libraries around the country. It may take 1-3 weeks, but it is a great way to get things the library doesn't own.