Books in academic libraries are grouped by subject (as are those in public libraries). The Library of Congress Classification Outline can help you identify call numbers for your subject. Then you can find where the call numbers are in the library.
Since books on your subject will likely be located together, you can also search the catalog (IUCAT) for a few relevant books and then browse the shelves around that book.
Enter 1-3 keywords that describe your topic. In the catalog, IUCAT, a simple search is usually best to get started. You can then narrow your search from the results page. Examples: bilingual education; gothic architecture; greek utopias; cochlear implants. |
Review the search results page for relevant items. The results page includes basic information on an item like title, publication date, format campuses that have the item. When you find a relevant book, click on the Title to see the full record. |
In the full record it may help to look at the subject headings. Clicking on a subject heading will help you find more books that have been tagged with the same term. Write down call numbers of relevant books (or text the call numbers to your mobile phone). When you find your book on the shelf, browse the section for more relevant books. |