FINDING BOOKS and More

Find nearly everything owned by the Cornell University Library by searching our library catalog. This includes books, journals, magazines, newspapers, videotapes, audiotapes, music CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, manuscripts, microfilm, microfiche--in short, anything the Library owns. You can search by keyword (any word in the catalog record), author, title, subject heading, call number, or journal title.

Example of a book you might find using this catalog:

Streitmatter, Rodger.
Mightier Than the Sword: How the News Media Have Shaped American History.
2nd edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2008.
(Olin Library PN 4888 .I53 S77 2008)

 

Two things to remember about our catalog:

  1. This online catalog lists the holdings of all Cornell libraries in one place.
  2. You cannot find journal articles in this catalog. Only the titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers are listed along with the years and volumes that we own. Use the articles databases to find individual articles.

 

Understanding Library of Congress Call Numbers

WHAT IF WE DON'T OWN IT?

If we don't have a BOOK that you need or if we have the book but it's checked out:

  • Borrow Direct 
    Click on the link above, connect to Borrow Direct, search for the book and if it's available from another Ivy League university, we will have it shipped to Cornell. The borrowing period is 6 weeks, renewable once. Books arrive in 3-4 business days. (This service is for BOOKS only).

If we don't own an item that you need (any item -- journal article, DVD, dissertation, etc.):

  • Interlibrary Loan Service
    If Cornell Library does not have an item you need, especially journal articles, use our interlibrary loan service to request a free scanned copy of the article you want. Directions for accessing these scans, usually PDFs, will arrive in your email in just a few days.

We invite you to check with the reference staff if you are having trouble finding a particular book or journal. We can help!