ENGL 355 - Literature for Children

Due to the Hale library fire, currently books can be requested online and picked up at one of the various service stations during their hours of operation.

So, you found a book, video, map, etc., in the catalog, now what? The catalog record will tell you...

Location

Hale Library Stacks is most common, but you may also see:

• Special Collections--Hale 5th Floor
• Juvenile Literature Collection--Hale 4th floor
• Electronic Resource--Internet
• Annex--click "place a request" above
• Microform--Request at Help Desk, Hale 2nd Floor
• ...and others

Call Number 

You'll need this entire alphanumeric code. Fortunately, you can text it to yourself. By the way, the call number is a code for the subject of the book. If you are so inclined, check out this list of call numbers and what they mean. 

Status

You are hoping for Not Checked Out because that means it should be available for you. If it is checked out, it will say something like, Checked Out--Due on 8/8/15. It may also say Missing or Lost. You can always request these items through Interlibrary Loan.

Returning Materials

Due to the Hale Library fire, There are several places you can return borrowed materials. Most books can be returned at any service desk or in a library book drop.

To find a high-quality nonfiction text for children or young adults, you have a couple of options:

1. Keyword Searching in Libraries' collection
   • try including terms "juvenile literature" "nonfiction" "reference" "curriculm materials"
   • don't forget to include terms related to your fiction text theme (diversity, culture, music, homeless, etc.)
2. Using the Subject terms (once you've discovered them from keyword searching)
   • if you click on the subject listed, you will be taken to a results list of all items with that same subject
3. Browsing in the Curriculum Materials Center / Juvenile Literature Collection
   • often the best route is to just jump in and look around - you'll discover nonfiction and reference titles

Additionally, you may find it worth your time to search at the Manhattan Public Library as they have a more extensive children's literature collection than we do. You can go to their website and search their catalog. Even better - a library card there is FREE!

The catalog contains information about millions of books, ebooks, videos, cds, government documents, maps, dissertations, and other items. The following tips can help your searches: 

• You can search for multiple forms of a word using a question mark. For example, theor? will search for theory OR theories OR theorist OR theorists (or any other word starting with theor).

• Use quotation marks to search for phrases, such as "communication styles" or "3D printing."

• When you find an item of interest, examine the subject headings. Click a subject heading to see a list of other materials with that same heading.