Evaluating Books
There are several ways to determine the quality of a book as you do preliminary research. Keep in mind these pointers, and you'll become a more efficient resource evaluator.
- Look at the book's publisher.
- Flip through the bibliography at the end of the book.
- Think about where you found the book.
- Take a few moments to look for reviews.
- Scan through the introduction.
How to Read Call Numbers
The Carmichael Library uses the Library of Congress classification system to catalogue books. Below are a guide and a video to help you interpret the call numbers and find books on the shelf.
Searching by Library of Congress Subjects
Once you find a book in the catalogue that you know will help you with your research, you should try to find other books with the same Library of Congress subject headings. What does this mean? Watch the video below.
World Cat as a Global Search Tool
WorldCat is the largest network of library resources worldwide. In searching the WorldCat catalogue, you are finding information about the holdings of almost every library in the United States.
Information Literacy Poll
If you are looking for a book about religion and cultue, what are some of the factors you keep in mind as you decide whether or not you should use a book in an academic setting?
Interlibrary Loan
Looking for a book that the Carmichael Library doesn't own? Make use of our Interlibrary Loan department.
