LibGuides: World in the 20th Century Research LibGuide: Finding Books in Western Library

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Finding Books at Western Library

library books with call numbers on spine labels

Books located in the subject category - Fine Arts (N) and Drawing Design, and Illustration (NC)

Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

Where is Western's Library?

Western Library is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of the Student Success Center

How do I find a book on the shelves?

Our books are organized by subject using the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System
Feel free to ask a librarian to help you find your book

What are those white labels on the spine of all the books?

Notice the "code" on the labels on the spines of the books in the photo above. This "code " is the book's Call Number. A Call Number tells you where a book it is located in the library.
- Each number and letter refers to details about that the book's subject and it's title and author.
Call Numbers start with letters that match up with subject categories.
- Look at the Call Numbers in the image above. They all begin with NC.
  - The subject category, N, is Fine Arts and the subcategory, NC, is Drawing Design, and Illustration
  - Think of NC like the name of street you live on.
  - The combination of NC with other numbers and letters gives you the shelf "address" of a specific book.

Subject Categories - Library of Congress Classification System

Class A – General Works (including dictionaries, history ofof scholarship and learning, etc.)
Class B – Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
Class C – Auxiliary Sciences of History (including history of civilization, archaeology, etc.)
Class D – World History
Class E-F – History of the Americas
Class G – Geography, anthropology, recreation
Class H – Social sciences
Class J – Political science
Class K – Law
Class L – Education
Class M – Music
Class N – Fine arts
Class P – Language and literature
Class Q – Science
Class R – Medicine
Class S – Agriculture
Class T – Technology
Class U-V – Military science, naval science
Class Z – Library science, general information resources

Learn more about the Library of Congress Classification System at the link below.

Library of Congress Classification System (LC)
Want to know more about LC subcategories? Link to them from this list of main subject categories from the Library of Congress itself!

Library Catalogs - Search for Books and Other Items.

Western Library Catalog

Find books and eBook. An eBook is the same as a print book, it's just the electronic version and available online.
Search by title, author, subject, or keywords.

Library catalog ebook

La Crosse Public Library Catalog

If you can't find the book or ebook you want at Western Library, try La Crosse Public Library or your local public library.

Public library cards are free!
- Check out books and other materials - DVDs, CDs/audiobooks, and more
- Access the library's online databases ,
- Download ebooks, audio books, streaming video.

Links to both Western Tech Library as well as La Crosse Public Library are listed below. Also listed it a link to information about how to acquire a free La Crosse County Public Library Card.

Western Library
Click the red button FIND Books to open the Library catalog and search for books about your topic available in Western Library. Check out your books with your Western ID card or ID number. We can also look you in our system!
La Crosse Public Library
Look for the Catalog search box at the top of the page to search for books about your topic at La Crosse Public Library. Need a library card? They're free!
How to Get a La Crosse County Public Library Card
Getting a La Crosse Public Library card is easy and free! Applications are available at any La Crosse Public Library location, in person, or available online.

Short Video: Finding and Linking to eTextbooks at Western Library

Finding eBooks in Western Library's A-Z Databases List

Access eBooks Online 24/7

In addition to our collection of print books, Western students and staff have access to an extensive collection of digital books. Search the library catalog (linked above) and limit by format to eBooks or search the library database eBook collections linked below.

A-Z ebooks

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Search EBSCO eBook Collection using the Basic Search Box or choose a Category in the list on the left side of the page to browse titles available in that Category .

eBook Collection (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Look for full-text e-books on a wide-range of subjects. Read the content on your computer or device, or download all or part of the book. You can print, save, or email pages to yourself.

Credo Reference logo with 3 lines at the left to access list of eBook titles Link below to access the database, Credo Reference. Note that when doing a search,Credo Reference lists specific articles from eBooks as the main heading, but the eBook title is listed below. A complete list of eBook Titles can be accessed by clicking on the 3 horizontal lines to the left of the Credo logo at the top left of the page.

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Use this database to understand basic concepts taught in your courses. It's also a great database for the first step in your research process. It contains short articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and other reference sources on a wide range of subjects. Get started on your assignment or research project by learning about key people, places, dates, events, concepts, and ideas related to your topic.