Finding Books
Don't forget, you don't need to use the whole book. Want to use just a chapter? Let us scan it for you. Fill out this form and bring it and the book up to the front (circulation) desk and we'll scan it and email it to you.
Need help reading a call number? Check out this guide.
Searching the library catalog
The library catalog contains records for where to find all of the materials we physically own in the library: books, movies, board games, etc. It also contains links to all the e-books and streaming documentaries we own. We share this catalog with libraries around the world which allows us to get print items we don't own from other libraries, but this doesn't apply to e-books.
Searching the catalog for online resources
Retrieving e-books vs print books
If you found an E-book - Just click on the "access online" button from the catalog. If you are unsure how to get to the full text check out this guide.
If you found a print book - First check to see if it is available. To locate it in the library you will need to know both the collection and the call number.
Google Advanced Search
- Advanced SearchWe all know you can use Google, but did you know it has an advanced search? You can use it to limit to just .gov or .org websites. But don't forget it's up to you to evaluate whether or not the website is a credible one.
More tutorials
Suggested Databases
- Academic Search This link opens in a new windowA general database containing popular and scholarly sources on many subject areas.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowA general database, which covers many content areas. Use the advanced search and limit to articles to get scholarly sources.
- SocINDEX This link opens in a new windowA sociology specific database. This one will have scholarly and professional resources for disciplines in the social sciences.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new windowA psychology specific database. Good for any questions about human behavior or mental health.
- Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new windowThis database contains scholarly and professional articles in the communication field, including journalism and mass media.
- Health Source (Nursing/Academic Edition) This link opens in a new windowA health focused database. Contains full text journals in nursing and allied health.
- ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials This link opens in a new windowA religion specific database. Contains theological research articles as well as ministry resources.
- ERIC This link opens in a new windowAn education specific database. Contains education research as well as professional resources for teachers.
Searching EBSCO databases
Academic Search Premier is a general database that contains both popular and scholarly articles from a variety of disciplines and sources. Great place to start if you need to confirm the viability of a topic.
The tips in this video will apply to most other EBSCO databases as well, including SocINDEX, ERIC, , and more. Subject specific databases like those may have some special features like unique limiters, but otherwise they will function the same way. The name of the database will be listed above the search bar:
How to get full text of an article from a database?
Some articles are full-text in the database you selected to search in. Other times it may be located in one of the other 50 databases we subscribe to. Sometimes you'll find a citation for an article we don't have immediate access to; we can usually get you these as well. This service is part of your affiliation with the university; don't ever pay for access to an article. We can typically get it for you. This will show you how to do that.
Searching JSTOR
JSTOR is a general database that contains primarily full-text scholarly articles from a variety of disciplines. It differs from other UD databases in the fact that it searches the entire full-text of the articles, but has few options for limiting searching and no subject headings. This database is particularly useful when you already know some specifics about your topic.