Lesson 2: How to Find Books

         Books are a good way to begin research on any topic.  Often, scholarly works, such as biographies and literary criticisms, are a great asset, and many of these books contain bibliographies, which can lead you to a number of other sources.

How to Use the Library Catalog

           The Fountain-New Library’s collection is accessible by using the online catalog called iPAC.  To access iPAC, go to the library's website and choose the Library Services (Mount Vernon Campus) link.  Click on the Search the Library Catalog (iPAC) link to enter the catalog.

            There are two main ways patrons may search for books using iPAC.  To initiate a search, click on the search tab and choose whether to do a basic or power search. 

            The basic search allows you to perform a search using several types of browse or keyword search methods (i.e. Title Browse or Title Keyword).  The power search allows you to do a search using more than one of the different types of search methods.  A browse search will generate an alphabetical search result list based on the terms that you entered, whereas a keyword search will generate a random search result list for the terms used.  For example, if you are searching for the book "Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell, it would be better to use the Title Browse search since you already know the exact title of the book.  However, if you were looking for any books that had the words gone, with, and wind in the title, then it would be better to use the Title Keyword search.  When searching for an author, put the author's last name in first for the browse search (it doesn't matter which order you put the author's name in a keyword search).  The examples below show a browse search result on the left and a keyword search result on the right.

        Once you find a book that you believe would be useful, click on the title of the book to get to the bibliographic record screen.  This screen provides the information you will need in order to cite the book in your research project.  It also displays the holdings information to let you know if the book is available to be checked out and where it is located in the collection.  If the book is already checked out, the status will list the date the book is due to be returned to the library.  If you wish to place a hold on a book that is checked out, click on the request item tab.  You will be asked to enter your library barcode number located on the back of your student id.  Follow the online instructions to submit the hold electronically.  A member of the library staff will contact you when the book is available.   

*Important Notes*

• The bibliographic record screen for your selected book may contain author or subject links where you can find additional information.
• While most of the library’s holdings are available for check-out, a few types of materials are not.  These include Reference books, Special Collections books and Periodicals.  Audio-Visual materials are available for check-out by faculty members only.

Call Numbers

           The Fountain-New Library uses the Library of Congress Classification System to catalog its holdings.  An outline of the general divisions of LC classification is as follows:

A - General Works

AE - Encyclopedias

B-BD - Philosophy

BF - Psychology

BH-BX - Ethics and Religion

C - History; Auxiliary Sciences

D - History (Except American)

E - American and United States History

F - United States Local History

G-GF - Geography

GN - Anthropology

GR - Folklore

GT - Manners and Customs

GV - Sports, Physical Education

H - Social Sciences

HA - Statistics

HB-HJ - Economics, Transportation, Finance

HM-HX - Sociology

J - Political Science

JF-JX - Constitutional History and Administration

K - Law

L - Education

M - Music

N - Fine Arts

P - Language and Literature

PQ - Romance Literature

PR - English Literature

PS - American Literature

PT - Teutonic Literature

Q - Science

QA - Mathematics

QB-QC - Astronomy and Physics

QD-QM - Chemistry, Geology, Botany, Zoology

QP - Physiology, etc.

QR - Bacteriology, etc.

R - Medicine

S - Agriculture; Plant and Animal Industry

T - Technology

U - Military Science

V - Naval Science

Z - Bibliography and Library Science

LC call numbers include a mixture of numbers and letters that represent specific details concerning the book.  An example of an LC call number is:

HV

8073

.S2

2001

The initial letters represent the general subject matter.  In this example, the letters HV symbolize Social Pathology, Welfare and Criminology (an H alone represents Social Sciences).  The numbers following those letters focuses the subject further.  In our example, the 8073 refers to “Identification of Persons – General Works.”  The third part of the call number is referred to as the “cutter number.”  The cutter number is a representation of the author’s name, organization or title of the book in code.  The .S2 in our example reveals that the author’s last name begins with the letters Sa.  In 4-line call numbers, the cutter number is the third line; however, if the call number contains 5 lines, a cutter number representing the title of the book will make up the fourth line. The last line of the call number is the year the book was published.  

Locating Books on the Shelves  

          Books are arranged alphabetically by the first line of the call number and then numerically by the second line.  [Note: numbers following letters are treated as decimal numbers.  For example,  .M101 would come before  .M3].  The call numbers for Reference books are preceded by REF.  If you have trouble locating a book on the shelf, please feel free to ask a library staff member for assistance.    

Audio-Visual Materials  

          Videotapes, compact discs, cassettes and recordings are shelved behind the Circulation Desk.  To use any of these types of materials, ask a staff member for the item by call number, and they will retrieve it for you.  Audio-visual materials are only available for check-out by faculty members; however, the library provides a Listening/Viewing Room for student use.

Reserve Materials

          Students may be assigned to use materials that faculty members have placed on Reserve.  These materials are located behind the Circulation Desk, and may be obtained through a library staff member.  Most reserve books are for use only in the library, unless the professor has requested a limited circulation period.