Oxy's library catalog is called OneSearch. OneSearch searches not only the books that we have in the library, but also searches more generally. Depending on the filters you use, OneSearch will also show you articles from databases that Oxy subscribes to and to books that we don't own. Make sure you are logged into your library account to get the most out of OneSearch. If you need more help with OneSearch, then take a look at the OneSearch Guide or ask a librarian!
Keyword searches often retrieve too many results, including materials that are irrelevant to your topic. Meanwhile, Title searches can be too narrow and leave you with no results. The answer is an approach that figures somewhere in the middle: Subject Headings. Subject headings are terms (topics, proper names, geographic regions, etc.) that indicate the scope of a book or other resource.
Try it yourself: you can copy and paste these example headings right into a catalog search for LC Subjects.
The Occidental College Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) classification system to organize physical books by call numbers in the library book tiers. The tiers are found by turning left when you enter the main floor of the library or asking the information desk for help!
Call numbers that include materials relevant to English include the following:
| PN 1-6790 | Literature (General) |
Tier 3 |
| PN 1010-1525 | Poetry | Tier 3 |
| PN 1600-3307 | Drama | Tier 3 |
| PR 1098-1369 | Collections of English literature | Tier 4 |
| PS 229-231 | American literature-21st century | Tier 4 |
Many of the books, journal articles and other resources you find can be accessed through Oxy. However, if not, you will need to request them through Interlibrary Loan. If you are logged into your Oxy account, most interlibrary loans can be made via a link associated with the article/book.