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Communications

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Searching for Books

Search Primo

To find print books, you will need to search the Library's catalog - Primo.

Books provide in-depth information on a broad topic. 

Keep in mind that you don't have to read an entire book to find relevant information. Scan the table of contents or indexes for chapters or pages on your topic (print and eBooks) or try keyword searches (eBooks) to get what you need. 

To find print books on your topic, search the Library's Catalog. Be sure to select the Library Catalog tab from the search interface so that your results are limited to books. 

Once you have your results list, you can filter for print books. 

If you have identified a print book that looks promising, be sure to make note of the Call Number, Location, and Availability. 

Call Numbers & Browsing

The print books in our collection are organized according to the Library of Congress Classification System, which divides all knowledge into twenty-one basic classes, each identified by a single letter of the alphabet. Most of these alphabetical classes are further divided into more specific subclasses. 

This arrangement of items in the LoC system results in "serendipitous browsing:" you find one book in the catalog, go to the shelf, and an even better book is sitting right next to it.

Follow the link below to view an outline of the 21 basic classes. Clicking on any of the classes will provide you with a detailed view of all of the associated subclasses.  

Once you've identified the subclasses associated with your research subject, take some time to browse those portions of our collection. You will be surprised how much useful information you can find that will not appear in a catalog search. 

To search for EBSCO eBooks:

  1. Enter your search terms in the Find field and click the Search button

    ebooks search

  2. A Result List of eBooks related to your search terms is displayed.

  3. Click an eBook Full Text link (PDF or EPUB) to read the book in the eBook Viewer tool.

  4. Click the Full Download icon to check out the book and read it on your computer using Adobe Digital Editions. (See Checking out and Downloading EBSCO eBooks)

  5. Click the Table of Contents link to view the chapters of an eBook. You can go directly to a chapter in the eBook Viewer tool by clicking on a hyperlinked chapter.

    Note: Sections in the Table of Contents with a plus sign (+) can be expanded further by clicking the plus sign.

Reference Sources, like encyclopedias and reference books can be a good place to explore and define your topic before you start your individual research. They can provide terminology and explain technical jargon that is used in that field of study. Having these subject specific terms can help you select the keywords needed to search and find topic related results.

Use the following resources to find quotations.