• Provides background and context
• Serves as the basis for your literature review
• Points you toward other relevant secondary sources
• Points you toward primary sources: intellectual honesty requires scholars to "show their work" and cite primary sources used
• Can serve as model for your own writing and other class projects
  

Use GIL, GSU's library catalog, or GIL-Find, to find books in our library. The catalog also lists other materials in the library - including microfilm, dissertations, movies, music and special collections.

A keyword search is a good place to start if you are looking for information on a topic. If you have more specific information, you can also search by title, subject or author.

Books in libraries are assigned one or more subject headings. These are standardized terms that ensure books on the same topic can be found even if the keywords are different.

You can search GIL or GILFind (or any college/university library catalog!) using these headings, using the Subject Heading or Subject search option.

When you find a good book, look at its subject headings in the catalog record. Follow these to list other items on that topic. Or, use the subject heading terms in a new keyword search.

Examples might be:

• African Americans (can be followed by other categories: "African Americans Music" "African Americans Georgia")
  
• African American (followed by other category: "African American aged" "African American art" "African American musicians" etc.)
• Blacks Brazil
  
• Blacks United States (refers to non-American blacks in the United States)
  
• Affirmative Action Programs
  
• United States Race Relations
  
• Racism United States
  
• Brazil Race Relations
  
• Racism Brazil
  
• Slavery United States
  
• Slavery Brazil

And so on...

indicates that the catalog uses a different term for that subject term/phrase.

Click on to find out what it is!

Use keyword searching in classic GIL or GIL-Find and in relevant databases. Brainstorm different keywords for your topic and see what happens.

Use Boolean searching (AND, OR, NOT) to expand or narrow your searches.

When you find a relevant item, click on the record and look for subject terms. Clicking on a subject term will bring up other related items.

Try your keywords and subject terms in other databases, and see what you find!

If GSU's library doesn't have what you need, you have, don't give up.  There are several options to get the book you want:

Universal Catalog - includes all Georgia public colleges and universities. To see information about participating USG schools, click here. Request books through GIL Express, or use your Panther Card to check out books at USG schools.

**You are allowed to check out 20 books maximum from a given USG library.**
Meaning, you can have 20 books checked out from UGA, 20 from Valdosta State, etc.

This includes both books checked out via GIL Express or directly from the library.

Emory - you can also borrow materials at Emory with your Panther Card

ARCHE - with a special ARCHE borrower's card, you can check out books from several local private colleges. Click here for information about ARCHE schools and getting a borrower's card

Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library Catalog - GSU students & faculty may obtain library cards from the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library, then borrow materials.

Use Interlibrary Loan to request books you find in the following catalogs
(or any other library catalog):

Worldcat - North American libraries and beyond.

Center for Research Libraries - a cooperative effort among member libraries to collect unusual and unique materials.

Still stuck?  Get more information, or ask a librarian for help.