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!
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 Black Studies include the following:
| E184.5-185.98 | Afro-Americans | 1st floor, Old Wing | |
| JK1758-1761 | Citizenship | Tier 1 | |
| JK1846-1929 | Suffrage |
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PN841 |
Black literature (general) |
Tier 3 |
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.