HY 457/557: Medieval Women: Finding Books

To find books and government documents in USA Libraries' collections, use SOUTHcat: USA Libraries' Catalog.

• Catalog tips and tricks:
  • Keyword searches – use quotation marks to hold phrases together ("social classes")
  • Truncation – use ? after the root of a word to find all its variants (revolution? would find revolution or revolutionary)
  • Browse the Subject(s) field in records to find the right words for searches.
• Revise and refine your searches. Combine words or phrases.
• Watch for repeating call numbers and browse stacks in that area.
• Pay attention to the Location and Status fields. You will need this information to locate the item in the library.

Please keep these things in mind when considering using ILL:

• ILL should be used sparingly
• Check SOUTHcat to make sure we do not have the book either available in print or electronically
  • When searching for a book, do a title or author search--DO NOT use the ISBN only. We may own a different edition or version of the book (ex. hardback vs. paperback)
  • If the material is in our holdings, the ILL staff will cancel your request
• Check Our Journal List to make sure we do not have the journal available print or electronically
  • If the material is in our holdings, the ILL staff will cancel your request
• If you must use ILL, check WorldCat for libraries that have your material
  • Check again to be sure USA Libraries does not own your selected material
    • In WorldCat, look for the green highlighted "University of South Alabama," indicating we own that item
  • Remember, libraries in-state are often faster at delivering materials than those libraries at great distances
  • Rare books and archival material will not be sent through ILL
• Use the "Click here for ILL" link in WorldCat to import the bibliographic material into the ILL system

For more detailed information on ILL, see InterLibrary Loan Policies and Procedures

Step-by-Step Guide to ILLiad