From the library's catalog, you can do a search using quotation marks for the author and the novel you have chosen for your assignment. Since I am researching Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, this is the sample search I am using. I am including the word "criticism" so that my results include literary criticism.
If, for example, I was researching Toni Morrison's Beloved, this is what my search would look like.
You will get a screen similar to this one with search results. Play with the filters on the right hand side of the screen to take a closer look at what the catalog found. In this page of results, we can see that the catalog retrieved print books, eBooks, a book that comes in multiple formats (both print and electronic), and an open access journal article.
This is an example of a print record (Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man) by Harold Bloom. It lists the call number (where the book is located in the library), and that the library owns 1 copy and it is available. Many records will also give a brief summary of the book and its contents.
If you look at the bottom of the record, you will see a "virtual browse" option. Since books on a particular topic are shelved together, you will usually be able to find additional books to research here. Since I clicked on a book about literary criticism and Invisible Man, the catalog will suggest other books for me to access.
Need more guidance on how to use the catalog and other library systems?
Check out our Library Basics guide.
