To make sure that reading is still relevant today, it is enough to come to any large library and find thousands and thousands of titles in catalogs. Wandering between the shelves can turn into Theseus' journey through the Cretan labyrinth, if you do not know a few basic rules that will help you find the right path.
Instructions
Step 1
Find out as much information as possible about the book you are interested in. First, write down the author's surname and initials exactly. If you remember only a couple of letters from his name, the librarian is unlikely to agree to solve the crossword puzzle with you and will offer to search for the "horse surname" in catalogs on his own. Be sure to write down the year of publication of the desired book. If you are looking for educational literature, then editions of different years can vary significantly. Some books have a variety of authors. In the catalog, the book will most likely be assigned to the name of the person under whose edition it is published, but it is worth checking his co-authors as well.
Step 2
Look for a book in one of the directories. Library catalogs come in many forms. In alphabetical order, all books are listed by the last names of the authors without regard to genre, topic, or year of issue. In case you only know the title of the required edition, refer to the title catalog. It also uses the alphabetical principle of positioning the cards. A systematic catalog is most suitable for those who are just picking up the necessary literature on the topic. Its construction is based on the library - bibliographic classification, according to which each topic is assigned an index of letters and numbers. A special table, which is in any hall of catalogs, will help you navigate the indexes.
Step 3
Use an electronic search. Even sacred sites such as libraries have been affected by technological advances. The search in the electronic catalog is the most convenient. It is enough to type in the special columns the title of the book and the surname of the author, as you will find out about all the matches found and print out the already completed requirement. Alas, electronic catalogs do not always contain data about the entire library archive. Books that entered the fund before 1990 are not always included in the computer database. So, if you can't find the old book, go back to the old-fashioned way of searching by hand.
Step 4
Ask librarians for help. They navigate complex library indexes much faster and can speed up searches significantly. In addition, the librarian will help you figure out exactly where the book is located: whether it is available on a loan, in the reading room or in storage. Librarians have heard the names of some authors from undergraduate and graduate students for years and remember the corresponding index by heart.
