Find Books and Articles: CrossSearch
Filter Your Results
Many databases have built-in filters to let you narrow down your results. You can often filter by publication date, type of publication, subject, publisher, language, and availability of full text. Using these filters can help you take a long list of search results and narrow it down to what you're really looking for. The video below demonstrates how to use some of these filters in CrossSearch.
Call Numbers & Locations
Generally:
| If the call number begins with.... |
Go to: |
| A - G | Dinand Stacks, Mezzanine (Upper) Level |
| H - L | Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level |
| M | Music Library |
| N, TR | Dinand Visual Arts Wing, Main Level |
| P | Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level |
| Q - T | Science Library |
| U - Z | Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level |
Oversize Books
If a book is listed as being located in one of the following locations...
Dinand Library Oversize
Music Library Oversize
OR, if the call number includes a plus sign (+) -- for example, B2294 +G34 2011 --, it means that the book is taller than normal and had to be stored separately, in the oversize section. Oversize books are located at the end of each letter section. For example, you would find the call number above between the 'normal' B section and the start of the C section. Some call numbers have a ++, and will be found between the + section and before the start of the next letter section. There is no oversize section in the Science Library.
Journals
To see our online journals, visit the EJournals Search.
Recent journals and newspapers in print are located in the Dinand Main Reading Room.
These are organized A-Z on the left side of the Main Reading Room (opposite the patio).
The Science Library keeps new journals (unbound, single issues of journals published in the current calendar year) organized A-Z in the front (East) end of the library. Older issues are bound together into hard cover volumes. These bound journals, as well as single issues of journals published previously to the current year, are located in the back (West) end of the Science Library.
Recent periodicals in the Music Library are stored A-Z on the periodical shelf, for easy reading. Back issues of each journal are stored behind the displays.
At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. For example:
- P is the area for languages and literature, and has subsections from PA to PZ covering the study of language and the literature of different languages and cultures.
- PR is the section for English language literature.
- PR750 to PR890 is the number range for English prose literature.
You will also see extra numbers and letters on the end of most call numbers, which are based on things like the author’s name. We use these to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves.
Library of Congress Classification Areas:
|
A |
General Philosophy, Psychology & Religion Archaelogy, Genealogy, etc. World History General History of Americas & U.S. Local History of Americas & U.S. Geography & Anthropology |
H |
Social Sciences Political Science Law Education Music Fine Arts Languages & Literatures |
Q R S T U V Z |
Sciences |
|
|
Culture as History: The Transformation of American Society in the Twentieth Century by Warren I. Susman. |
|
|
Dinand E169.1 .S9733 1984 |
Location Subject (General U.S. History) Author (Susman) Publication date |
|
For more details about Library of Congress Classification, please see the
Library of Congress' Classification Outline.
- Books are arranged alphabetically by the first letter or letters, then numerically by the number following the letter(s).
- If the first letter and number combination is the same, then shelve alphabetically by the next letter and in decimal order by the following number. Ex - B3.C3 1990 comes before B3.D4 1990
- The last line of the call number often represents the year of publication.
Recommended Databases
- MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Journal articles, books and dissertations focusing on literature and literary criticism, language, and publishing.
- JSTOR Arts & Sciences This link opens in a new window
Journal articles in almost every subject area, including some historical articles back to the 17th century.
- HAPI: Hispanic American Periodicals Index This link opens in a new window
Citations for journal articles, book reviews, and literary works about Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Hispanics/Latinx in the United States.
- Arte Público Historical Collection Series 1 This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1746-2006
Newspaper and magazine articles, and other primary sources, related to Hispanic history, literature and culture in the United States. Mostly in Spanish. - Arte Público Historical Collection Series 2 This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1799-2006, but mainly 1895-1950
Magazine articles, books and other primary sources related to Hispanic civil rights, religion, and women writers in the United States. Mostly in Spanish.
Locating Books
HC Libraries E-Books
To limit your search to e-books:
In CrossSearch:
1 - Once you've started your search, go to the More Limits option and click on it to expand more options.
2 - Under Resource Type, choose eBooks.
If eBooks does not appear as an option (i.e., if it's not in the top 5 categories of results), click the Show More link to see more options. A pop-up window will appear. Then, choose eBooks from the list.
In the Library Catalog:
1 - Once you've started your search, go to the Narrow Search tool bar.
2 - Under Format, choose eBook.
If eBooks does not appear as an option (i.e., if it's not in the top 6 categories of results), click the more... link to expand the list.
Library of Congress Catalog
The Library of Congress is a great resource to take advantage of while you are studying in Washington. While you cannot take books out of the library, once you are registered (see the Resources in Washington page for more information), you can use LoC's collections within the library. LoC is the largest library in the world, so its collections will include many books that you might have difficulty finding elsewhere.
While Library of Congress books are included in the WorldCat database (see the next tab), due to the size and complexity of its collections, it's not a bad idea to use the library's own catalog to search.
Note that there are multiple versions of the Library of Congress catalog. The one based on keyword searching, which is most similar to how our own catalogs work, is linked below.
You can find details, recommendations and links to the Keyword search and other available catalog searches on the Library of Congress website:
Note that there are not many options for limiting your results once you've run a search, so you may want to use the Add Limits button at the point when you begin searching to narrow down by factors such as language, publication date, etc.
WorldCat (Other Books)
The WorldCat database brings together and searches library catalog records from around the world. You can use WorldCat to look for books that are available at other libraries, including public libraries and the Library of Congress.
To begin, do a keyword search as you would in any other library catalog:
- WorldCat This link opens in a new window
A world-wide catalog of books, journals, audiovisual materials, and other sources available in libraries worldwide. Includes direct links to request items on Interlibrary Loan.
Browsing the Stacks:
Browsing library stacks can be a valuable technique to expand research on your topic, no matter where you are. This is perhaps even more true when using libraries whose catalogs you are unfamiliar with.
Most academic libraries, including Dinand, use a system called Library of Congress Classification (LCC) to organize books. Each book or journal is identified by a unique call number. Unlike call numbers in the Dewey Decimal System, LCC call numbers include a combination of both letters and numbers. These call numbers identify the location of the book in the stacks; they also identify the subject (or the main subject if there are more than one) of the book or journal.
*Note: As you might guess, Library of Congress also uses LCC for some purposes, but its stacks are not open for browsing.
Because call numbers are subject-based, it is possible to physically view most of the books on a given topic in one area of the library. This means that it is possible to visit the stacks and browse the selection of materials on your topic, and that the number section for your topic should be the same, even in different libraries.
To begin, you can....
(a) Locate a book on your topic in the library catalog, and note the call number; OR
(b) Identify the LCC call number range that corresponds to your topic, by viewing the Library of Congress Classification Outline.
This will tell you the area of the library where you should begin browsing. If your topic is complex or multidisciplinary, there may be more than one area that you should visit.
You can also watch our Call Numbers video tutorial 
to learn more about how call numbers work. While the way that specific libraries apply call numbers may vary slightly, the basic principles will be the same.
Accessing Materials: Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery
- InterLibrary Loan or ILL is a service that allows you to request materials owned by other libraries all over the US.
- Document Delivery is a service that allows you to request a scan of materials owned by the Holy Cross Libraries. To find books or journals for Document Delivery, search the databases, Google Scholar, etc. as normal. Document Delivery requests follow the same process as Interlibrary Loan requests.
Books
Requesting Books from Dinand Library:
When no electronic options are available, you may request for books owned by the Libraries to be mailed to you via Document Delivery. We will send books via Priority Mail with tracking, and you are not required to mail books back.
We will not mail Interlibrary Loan books or other items -- we will only mail items that belong to the Holy Cross Libraries (including the Worcester Art Museum Library).
Locating Books in DC:
To see if a particular book is available at a library near you, use the WorldCat database to search for the item you are interested in:
- FirstSearch This link opens in a new window
An advanced version of WorldCat, with the ability to search by specific libraries. A world-wide catalog of books, journals, audiovisual materials, and other sources available in libraries worldwide. Includes direct links to request items on Interlibrary Loan.
Make sure your zip code is set to Washington/Arlington and not to your home address. Then, click to view the full list of libraries where the item is available, including local public libraries.
Note: It is always a good idea to check the local library's catalog as well as their access policies, before making a trip to check out a specific item. WorldCat will tell you if a library owns the book you are looking for, but it will not tell you if that book is already checked out.
Requesting Books on Interlibrary Loan:
Articles:
Requesting Articles via Database:
If you have found an article you would like to request in the article databases and no electronic access is available, you can use the 
button to request an article on Interlibrary Loan or Document Delivery.
Click the button. When the pop-up box opens, choose
Log-in using your Google username and password.
You should be brought automatically to the Article Request form. The database will fill out most information for you. Check to make sure the information entered is accurate (to help us find your article sooner!). A good rule of thumb is to include at least the information you would need to cite the chapter, if possible (author, article and journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers). The more information you include, the more easily and quickly our staff will be able to place your request.
Once your request has been fulfilled, you will receive a notification and link to your Holy Cross email.
Requesting Other Articles:
If you have found an article you would like to request by means other than the article databases, log into the Interlibrary Loan system....
Log-in using your Google username and password.
Once you have logged in, choose "Article" under the appropriate menu:
Then, fill out the request form. A good rule of thumb is to include at least the information you would need to cite the article (author, article and journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers). The more information you include, the more easily and quickly our staff will be able to place your request.
Once your request has been fulfilled, you will receive a notification and link to your Holy Cross email.
Book Chapters:
Requesting Book Chapters:
To request a book chapter on Interlibrary Loan or Document Delivery, log into the Interlibrary Loan system....
Log-in using your Google username and password.
Once you have logged in, choose "Book Chapter" under the appropriate menu:
Then, fill out the request form. A good rule of thumb is to include at least the information you would need to cite the chapter, if possible (chapter and book author, chapter and book title, date of publication, publisher, and, ideally, page numbers). The more information you include, the more easily and quickly our staff will be able to place your request.
Once your request has been fulfilled, you will receive a notification and link to your Holy Cross email.