Tips for Finding Books

  1. Your first search should be a very general keyword search.
  2. Never use a, an, or the when searching for a title.
  3. Always use the long view to review subject headings.
  4. If a record says "networked resource" it is usually available online.
  5. Always pay attention to the call numbers and note whether the material is shelved in the regular, oversized (+), or double oversized (++) sections.

Finding Books

Can't Get the Book at Cornell?

Use Requests on the Library homepage to:
  • Hold, recall, request materials from the Annex, and library-to-library book delivery.
  • Interlibrary Loan material that Cornell does not own from libraries worldwide.
  • Borrow Direct is a reciprocal borrowing program among the Ivies. If Cornell's copy is unavailable, you can borrow it from another Ivy. It is fast -- usually only a few days!

How to Read Call Numbers

The materials are shelved alphabetically by the first line of the call number.

If the first lines are the same, proceed to the next line. This line is shelved numerically.

If the first two lines are the same, then proceed to the next line. Viewing the third line as decimals, .46 is smaller than .5, so it would be shelved first (to the left). B6 comes before C26 because materials are shelved first alphabetically, then numerically.