Why use books?
- Historical/background context. You will not want to consult only books in your research, but try to find at least one that might provide a solid overview of the history of your topic up until this point in time.
- Edited volumes. Some books are collections of shorter, scholarly articles - by different authors - about the same topic. You might find a book that includes several different perspectives on your topic in the same place!
- References/footnotes/bibliographies. If you find a book that's particularly applicable to your research, be sure to explore the sources cited by the author(s); this can be an efficient and effective means to find other related material for your own research.
Augustana's local library catalog may have some of the books you need, but to ensure that your research is as thorough as possible, be sure to search I-Share as well. You can request books from nearly 80 academic and research libraries in Illinois and get them within 5 working days.
Using OneSearch to find books:
- click the Advanced Search link (below the search box) to get to a screen that will allow you to combine search terms; e.g., 1) Japan and expatriate; or 2) colonialism and "indigenous people"
- choose "Library holdings only" to narrow to only books held here in the Tredway Library; choose "All I-Share Libraries" to search all colleges & universities in Illinois
- browse around in the stacks!! - you may start to notice that several books you've found in the local library holdings are located close to each other on the shelves (i.e., their call numbers are similar); books are organized by subject, so head up to that section of the stacks and take a look at other books that are nearby on the shelves
