A library catalog is a listing of all the items held by that library.
You can search for specific items by their title or author, or you can search for items on a specific topic using keywords.
Call numbers tell you where to find a book in the library. You can find the call number on the spine of the book. Depending on the type of the book it is, the call number will look at a little different!
Look at the examples below. Where would you find each book?
Picture Books: E + author's last name
Readers: RDR + author's last name
Chapter Books: J FIC + author's last name
Graphic Novels: J GRAPHIC + author's last name (+ volume number)
Non-Fiction Books: J + number + author's last name
Biographies: J BIO + subject matter's last name
Play Search Shark by Common Sense Education to learn how to choose effective keywords for searching online and finding the right information!
Use the library's catalog to search for materials by keyword, author, or title. Type in your keyword(s) in the search bar. The catalog is not case-sensitive, but spelling is important!
To view items that are only available in the children's section, click on the drop-down below the search bar and select Children's Coll, Sherman Library. Then click the blue Search button next to the search bar.
Your new results should include items that have a call number beginning with the letter "J," which stands for Juvenile (another term for children).
In the Search Results, there is an icon that tells you what kind of item it is. If it says "Printed Material," it may refer to a book.
You can also see if the item is available in the library, or if all copies are in use.
You may place a hold on an item if it is currently checked out by clicking the "Place Request" button. If it is available and you want to find the book in the library, note the call number, which gives the location of the book.
Click on the title of an item to learn more information, including a summary of the book.