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Biology

UMSL Library Biology Research Guide

Books/Catalogs

The library offers a number of other search tools, including the UMSL Library Catalog (which is not summon as it does not also contain articles), or the broader MERLIN Catalog which has the books available from all the University of Missouri libraries, or the MOBIUS Catalog which provides searching to other constoritum libraries which UMSL is partnered with to provide fast delievery. 

Search the UMSL catalog for books and more

E- Books

Summon for Books

There are many tools to help you find what you're looking for on the Library Home Page. One is Summon a powerful search tool. There is also a link to our Ask a Librarian tool.

Screenshot of Summon our library search tool.

In the search box below you can directly search Summon for your research topic.

Search Summon for articles, books, and more!
 

On the results page, you can include or exclude types of publications, content, disciplines, subjects, etc. Look at the options on the left of your screen for ways to LIMIT YOUR SEARCH.

When you are looking for books, limit your search to the Library Catalog, and limit the CONTENT TYPE to Book / eBook. 

If you are not finding what you seek in the results, try adding or removing key words from your search or try some of these other limits: 

PUBLICATION DATE allows you to limit material to a specific date or date range.

DISCIPLINE Depending on the focus of your research you may want to limit by field of study

SUBJECT TERMS will pull up a list allowing you to exclude subject headings or limit to more specific subject terms.

Locating a Book on the Shelf

There are 3 pieces of information you need about a book to find it on the shelf.

The status: NOT CHECKED OUT means you can get it today.

The call number : LC40.G88 1992

The location : UMSL TJ Level 4.

Reading a Call Number

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LC call numbers are read from left to right, and from top to bottom. The letters at the beginning of the call number are alphabetical. The numbers immediately following are in basic numerical order, i.e., 5 then 6, 50 is after 49 and before 51, and 100 is after 99.

Although it was developed to organize materials housed at the Library of Congress, the Library of Congress Classification system (LCC) is now widely used in academic libraries around the world.  The LCC system begins with 21 categories, each identified by a letter of the alphabet.  Most of the categories are also broken down - to get more specific - and identified by 1 or 2 more letters. For example N contains Fine Arts; ND is Painting, a topic in fine art. 

Individual topics are also delineated by place, time period, etc. using numbers (in ND673 you'll find books on painter Peter Paul Rubens who lived 1577-1640).  A call number may have up to 4 digits (1-9999) in the main part, and then if necessary, decimal places that may have only numbers or both a letter and numbers.  (Library of Congress Classification http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcc.html)
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