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History Resources: Books

A basic guide to locating information about History in the TMCC Library.

Using Books for Research

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.

The Library Catalog

On the Library’s home page, the Library Catalog has records for most of the materials the library subscribes to as well as some sources on the Internet. 

Sample Book Catalog Keyword Search

Sample keyword search: 

  • Type “civil war” (use quotation marks around phrases).   
  • Limit the search if too many books are found:  click ‘Edit search’ on the upper left, then change the ‘Keyword’ to ‘Keyword using AND.’ Add another term, for example, “Nevada.”

Call Numbers in History

Information on History is usually found at the following call numbers (book shelf addresses): 

    C - Auxiliary Sciences of History
    D - World History and History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Etc.
    E - History of the Americas
    F - History of the Americas

Call numbers are the same across all the branch libraries.

Results of Sample Search

The sagebrush soldiers : Nevada's volunteers in the Civil War by Philip Dodd Smith, Jr.
Call Number: E519 .S6 1981
Publication Date: 1981

However, our keyword search also retrieved books on another civil war: