To find books in our library, search the Library Catalog - you can also search directly via the search box on the library's homepage. Use our guide to finding books for more on how to use the online catalog and find books on the shelves.
When you find books that look useful, write down the Collection & the Call Number.
General Collection, call numbers A - PQ are on the Third Floor
General Collection, call numbers PR - Z are on the Second (Main) Floor
Oversize are on the Third Floor, Beck Hall side
Reference are on the Second (Main) Floor, Beck Hall side
Browsing are on the Second (Main) Floor near the entrance
Young Adult & Children's Books are on the First Floor
AV materials (DVDs, etc) are on the First Floor
Once you are in the right area, signs on the sides of the shelves will direct you further. The system is a little tricky to figure out at first, so don't hesitate to ask for directions at the Information Desk (main floor of the library).
Browse the shelves when you find a useful book. Books are shelved according to topic, so chances are you'll find other relevant books nearby. You can check books and other materials out at the Information Desk. This page has information about loan periods, renewals, etc.
Serendipity plays a big role in research. When looking for books, start by searching the catalog. Once you find a book that looks promising, browse the nearby books. Our library uses the Library of Congress system, which houses books on the same topic near each other.
Some topics are more easily browsed than others. For example, books by and about a particular writer are shelved together, but books on interdisciplinary subjects, such as environmental science, may be in several places.
Sometimes people shy away from books because they are longer to read than a journal article. Many disciplines still publish current research in books, so you don't want to miss out on key resources by ignoring books. There are some tricks you can use to understand a book's structure and argument, so you DON'T have to read the whole thing.
Once you have a good idea of the book's structure and argument through skimming, you can narrow in on the portions of the text most useful for your research.
You can also search for books in other libraries, expanding your research options. Books will be sent to you (for free!). To do this, use the advanced search in the library catalog. Scroll down to select "Libraries WorldWide."
We have a growing number of ebooks in our collections. You'll find some just through searching the library catalog. Others can be access through some of the resources listed below. Libraries are not allowed to lend ebooks via interlibrary loan; if you find an ebook listed at a separate library, chances are you won't be able to request it via interlibrary loan. Contact a librarian if you find a title you'd like to access, as we can help you request a print copy of the same title.
Contains digital facsimile images of nearly 100,000 books in English printed between 1473 and 1700 - virtually every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America, plus works in English printed elsewhere. Texts range from the first book printed in English by William Caxton through the age of Spenser and Shakespeare and the English Civil War. Included are works by Malory, Bacon, More, Erasmus, Boyle, Newton, Galileo; musical exercises by Henry Purcell; novels by Aphra Behn; prayer books, pamphlets, and proclamations; almanacs, calendars, and many other primary sources.
An online ebook collection for all Minnesotans. Covers a variety of subjects for readers of all ages, and features content from the state's independent publishers as well as some older titles in the public domain. Ebooks Minnesota is a two-year pilot program sponsored by Minitex and made possible in part by funding from the Minnesota Department of Education through a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Full text of eBooks in the arts, humanities, social sciences, life and physical sciences, business, and more. eBooks in this collection can be viewed on a web browser or on the EBSCO mobile app (available from the iTunes App Store and Google Play). Note: to download ebooks on the mobile app, you must be signed into the app with your EBSCO personal account. Questions? Just ask a librarian!
The Gustavus Library is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all our patrons. We acknowledge that harmful and outdated language or terminology exists in catalog records for our materials, though, and we would welcome your help in identifying such instances.
If you encounter any language that you consider to be harmful or offensive to yourself or others, please use this form to report it and suggest alternative language. We will contact the Library of Congress to request that changes be made whenever we come across items under their purview and will supplement our own descriptions with more respectful terms as necessary. We also direct you to our entire Harmful Language Statement for more information.
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0