Search the Library Catalog for Books
Search the Library Catalog
Search Terms
Search terms are the words you use to find materials in the library catalog. Recommended terms for this course include:
Where are the books?
PCC Libraries organize their books based on the Library of Congress Classification System. Each book gets an LOC "call number" which identifies it:
Example: GN 17.E75 2001 is the call number for A History of Anthropology by Thomas Hylland Eriksen and Finn Sivert Nielsen. (1)
- GN represents the major area: Anthropology.
- 17 represents the minor area: General anthropology.
Library of Congress areas of particular interest:
| GN | Anthropology |
| HM through HV | Social sciences on groups / cultures / communities |
| P | Linguistics |
(1) Eriksen, Thomas Hylland and Finn Sivert Nielsen. A History of Anthropology. Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2001.
Parts of a Book Citation
Confused about what goes in a citation for an academic article? Here's what to look for:
- Author: Get the full names of the authors. Some citation styles require full names, some don't - best to be prepared.
- Title: Make sure to get the whole title. Many book titles are separated by a semi-colon (:) and you need both parts.
- Date: When was the book published? Sometimes books are re-published, or new editions are issued. Look for the most recent date listed.
- Publisher: Make a note of who published the book.
- City of Publication: Where is the publisher located? If all else fails - Google the publisher!
- Page Numbers: Page numbers specify where in the book you found the information or quote you are using.