Find Books in the Library: Home

The Library Catalog is an inventory of everything that's on our shelves, whether you're looking for books, DVDs, maps, etc. It even includes links to eBooks.

The Library Catalog is available online, from anywhere that you have access to the Internet:

Basic Search

• Use the basic search when you're exploring a topic, or when you're searching for a specific book but are unsure of the exact title or author.
• The catalog searches the title, author, subjects, keywords, etc. from each item description - for the words you typed.

Advanced Search

• Use the advanced search feature when you know the specific title and author or are combining multiple concepts.
• Use the drop down menus to choose which field you want to search.
• Each search term must appear in the catalog record where/how you specified for the items to be included in the results list.

Searching for Ebooks

• Find the Library's full-text ebooks that include all of the terms that you type.
• The catalog searches the title, author, subjects, keywords, etc. from each item description - for the words you typed.

Accessing an Ebook

• Click on the tiny link, URL, at the end of the ebook description in your search results to get to the actual ebook.
• Off-campus users will be prompted to login with their HCC login credentials to view the actual ebook.

Knowing the name of the author or the title of the book (or DVD or map or..) you're looking for makes finding it easy in the Library Catalog:

• type in the author's name OR the title in the search box;
• select author OR title from the drop down menu to the left of the search button;
• click the Search button.

If the Library owns the item(s), you'll be presented with information about it.

Often you won't know authors' names or book titles, and will need to search Books+ using keywords. Perhaps, you'll choose (or be assigned) a subject to research for a class and be expected to find books about that subject:

• type in a word or a few words that describe your topic in the search box;
• click the Search button.

If the Library has a book or books on your topic, you'll be presented information that will help you find it or them.

In addition to the call number, each item (book, video, map, DVD, etc) has a location.

When you search the Library Catalog, make sure to note the location and call number for every item that you want to find.

Common locations:

• Main Stacks
• Plays Shelves
• Reserve Desk