If your instructor has not provided a link to a course reading and you are expected to search for it, you should know what you're looking for: a book, an article, a book chapter, a thesis, or something else. How you search depends on what you're looking for.
Here's how to figure it out:
1. Is there a volume and issue in the citation? These will appear as [Volume(Issue)]. It's an article. You'll want to search for the article title.
2. Is there a page range? If the range is a few pages, for example 36-42, then it's probably an article. If the page numbers show up as pp 255, then you're looking for a book that has 255 pages.
3. In the citation do you see [Chapter title] in [Book title]? You're looking for a book chapter. You'll probably have to search for the book title instead of the chapter title.
1. Are you searching for the right part of the citation? If the resource is a chapter in a book, you should try searching for the book title instead.
2. Is the link to the resource broken on your course page? First, email your instructor to let them know. Chances are, others are having the same problem. Second, try looking for the resource in Library Search.
3. Running into a paywall or otherwise unable to access a course reading? You can try to Interlibrary Loan it via this form.
4. Is it a textbook or a required text for your course? We cannot provide this via Interlibrary Loan. (See the Borrowing From the Library section of this page.)
Former Social Work and Children's Lit Librarian Stacy Collins explains the library website, including searching for articles. Note that video starts at 4:50.
If you're unsure about your course readings, please review the information on this page. If you still can't find what you're looking for, feel free to reach out by chat, phone or email.
