Books in the Libraries
Search the Library Catalog
Use the library catalog to find print books, print journals, and e-books in the library's collection. To search the catalog, start on the library website. You will see a search box in the center of the page. The default setting for the search box is CrossSearch, which is an all-in-one search tool that will look for electronic journal articles, print journals, magazines, newspapers, books, ebooks, streaming media, and more. If you know you are looking for a book, look above the search box and select "Library Catalog." This will let you search for print books, ebooks, and print journals owned by the library.
You can search for a specific title or author if you have a book in mind, or search by keyword to find books on a certain topic. When you search, the results page will have more options for filtering your results and adding other terms to your search. The video below demonstrates how to search the catalog to find books.
The search results will show the titles of books, their location (which library they are in), the call number, and whether the book is available to check out. You can click the title of a book to get more detailed information about it.
Click to the next tab of this box to learn about call numbers for finding books on the shelves.
Find Books on the Shelves
To find a book on the shelf, you will need to look at the book's Location and Call Number in the catalog. The location tells you which library it is in. The call number is like an address for the book that tells you where it is on the shelf. Call numbers identify different subject areas, so books with similar call numbers will cover similar subjects. This way, when you find a book on the shelf, you know the books around it are on similar topics.
Here is an example of a book in the library catalog showing the location and call number:
This book is located in Dinand Library. The call number is made up of letters and numbers, with a publication date at the end. To find this book on the shelf, start with the letters. Books are shelved alphabetically by the first two letters of the call number (or the first letter - some books only have one). Then, they are arranged in number order. Call numbers are usually found on the book's spine, though for some thinner books the call number will be on the front of the book.
This book's call number is HE 336 .P37 G73 2023. To find it, start in the section of Dinand Library labeled with the letter H. Then, find HE (after HD and before HF). Then, look for 336. Once you are looking at books with HE 336 on the label, look for .P37 within that section. The map linked below has a map of Dinand Library and some instructions for interpreting call numbers.
Ask for help!
Finding books on the shelves can be confusing at first. If you are having trouble finding something, always ask for help at the circulation desk. We are happy to walk down to the shelves with you to look for your book. Sometimes you're in the right place and the book isn't where it should be - and if that is the case, we want to know about it. Other times you may just need a second set of eyes to find what you need. When in doubt, ask for help!
Check Out Books
All you need to check out library books is your Holy Cross ID card. All students automatically have an account with the library that is linked to your student ID - no need to sign up for a library card! If you found a book (or books) you want to check out, bring them to the circulation desk in the library. The staff member at the desk will scan your ID, scan your books, stamp them with the due date, and desensitize them so you can take them out of the building.
For most students, books can be checked out for the entire semester, with the option to renew them for longer. Some materials, like books in the Nevins Collection and equipment like phone chargers or DVD players, have shorter check out periods. You will receive an email reminder before your books are due. You can have up to 20 books checked out at a time.
Returning Books
When you're done with your books, bring them back to the library and drop them off at the desk. Our libraries do not have outdoor "drop boxes," so books must be returned inside the library building during open hours.
Can't remember which library a book came from? No worries! If you accidentally bring a book back to the wrong branch, our system will catch it and we will make sure it goes to the right place.
Your Library Account
If you want to see what you have checked out, you can access your Library Account from the library website. Look below the search box for the heading Electronic Resources, then click on My Library Account. Log in with your Holy Cross Google account and you will be able to see your checked out items and holds, and can create lists to save books you want to keep track of.
E-Books
Holy Cross Libraries also provide access to thousands of e-books at no cost. You can find e-books in the library catalog. When you search the catalog, you will see a menu on the right side of the search results with options to narrow your results. Under Format, click eBook to see only electronic options.
Some e-books will have a call number listed, while others will just have a link to online access. For those that have a call number, the location will say Online to indicate it is an electronic resource. Either way, just click the link that says "click to view e-book" or "click for online access" to access the book.
In most cases, your best option is to use the "Read Online" feature for our e-books. Most academic e-books do not work with devices that you might use to read personal e-books, such as a Kindle or Nook. There is software that you can download onto a PC or iPad, but this can be difficult to use, so we recommend reading online. However, if you would like to download the software, or if you are having trouble accessing any particular e-book, please feel free to contact us (libref@holycross.edu) or see our E-Books Guide.
Most e-books have limits on printing. Each publisher has different functionality and rules for downloading and printing e-books.
E-Book Collections
Holy Cross also subscribes to collections of e-books. To see what is available in these collections, visit our list of Holy Cross E-Book Collections. When searching within a specific e-book collection, you will be able to search the full text of each book allowing more detailed searching. For example, you may search the library catalog and not find any titles on your topic, but a search in an e-book collection might find a book with one chapter focused on your topic.
Course Reserves
Did your professor mention a reading being "on reserve" at the library?
Course reserves are books and other materials that a professor asks the library to have available for students in their class. They are kept separate from the main collection and are available for everyone in a class to check out and use in the library. There are two different kinds of course reserves:
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Print Reserves (usually books, CDs, or DVDs) can be checked out from the Circulation Desk of the library where the material is located (Dinand, Science, or Music). Books and other materials are put on print reserve so that everyone in a class or a group of classes can be ensured equal access to them.
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Electronic Reserves can usually be found on the Moodle or Canvas page for your course and might include scans from books as well as links to online books, articles, films, and/or audio. These are materials that your professor has pulled for you ahead of time so that you don't have to locate them on your own.
Using Course Reserves
Books etc. on print reserve will be listed in CrossSearch (the library search tool) as located on Dinand Reserve, Science Reserve or Music Reserve. You can also browse the Course Reserves List to look up a specific course, instructor, or department.
To check out a course reserve, visit the circulation desk in the library where the book is located. Tell the person at the desk that you are looking for a course reserve. If you know the title of the book, tell them the title. If you don't know the title, you can give your professor's last name or the course number and they will help you find what you need.
Present your Holy Cross ID and the library staff will check the book out to you.
You can check out reserve materials for 3 hours at a time and they must stay in the library where you borrowed them. Please try to return materials on time so that other students in your class can use them. Keep in mind that you can always renew the item and get another 3 hours added on to your time (as long as no one else is waiting for the item).