Using Books for Background Information
Books are the best library resources for comprehensive information. They tend to cover issues in depth and at great length. However, they are not as current as sources in periodicals or the internet. They are excellent for obtaining background information on a topic and to develop a list of relevant keywords with which to search.
In order to use a book effectively, you may not need to read the entire book. Browse the Table of Contents at the front of the book for chapter contents, and the index in the back of the book for the pages on which shorter amounts of information are located.
Ask the librarian for assistance.
Branches
Elizabeth Sturm Library, Dandini Campus (the Main Library)
Meadowood
Redfield Branch, Health Science Center
Nevada Collection
Next to the Reference Collection. Like Reference books, these books may not leave the Library but can be photocopied or scanned.
Circulating Collection
Mainly on the second floor of the Main Library. Most books on Nevada history are shelved here. Ask the Reference Librarians for assistance. Where possible, a second copy of items in the Nevada Collection were obtained for the Circulating Collection. These books are allowed to leave the library.
On the Library’s home page, the Library Catalog has records for all books, videos, hard copy magazines and journals, other media, and some (but not all) online books in the library. Except for e-books, catalog records indicate that the library owns the item and where it is shelved, but do not include the full text. Click on the Library Catalog. The window opens to a place to type your search term ‘within Keyword’ [menu on the end of the search bar].
Information on Nevada History is usually found at the following call numbers (book shelf addresses):
E - History of the Americas
F - History of the Americas
However, subject specific call numbers also are used, for example, information on women in Nevada may be found under call numbers beginning with HQ.
Call numbers are the same across all the branch libraries.
For information on the history of the Civil War in Nevada, try the following Keyword using AND search in the Library Catalog:
Sample keyword search:
However, our keyword search also retrieved books on another civil war:
If the keyword search results in this sort of confusion, it is helpful to turn to a Subject Browse search: Here is the subject heading applied to the relevant book: United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories--Nevada.