ENGL 2430 (Spring 2025): Finding Books

Use these resources to find background information on your topics, both literary and contextual. 

Library catalogs use subject headings to classify materials by what the item is mostly about. Once you get the hang of how subject headings work, they will help you find relevant materials quickly. I find author main entries a really good subject search to start with for literature research.

Main entries for authors include last name, first name, year of birth, and year of death (if deceased). As you can see from the examples below, subject headings often have one or more subdivisions that classify more narrowly focused materials.

Austen Jane 1775 1817

Austen Jane 1775 1817 Characters

Austen Jane 1775 1817 Characters Women

Austen Jane 1175 1817 Criticism and Interpretation

Austen Jane 1175 1817 Criticism and Interpretation History

In the library catalog, you can select subject search and enter just LASTNAME FIRSTNAME and find a list of all the available subject headings related to the main entry, each of which will help you quickly find the relevant materials.