Meet with a Librarian
Book a research consultation with one of your MSMU librarians!
Email Us - library@msmu.edu
Your question will be answered by a librarian within 24 hours.
Call Us
Coe - Chalon: 310.954.4370
McCarthy - Doheny: 213.477.2750
Drop In
Stop by the Circulation Desk at either library and ask in person.
Quick Search and the MSMU Libraries Catalog are the best ways to find books in the MSMU Libraries.
The MSMU Libraries Catalog contains records for print books and print journals, as well as records for electronic books and journals. If you know exactly what you want, you may search by title, author, call number, or ISBN. Or you may prefer an exploratory search using subject headings or keywords.
The catalog record for a book or journal will give you the basic information needed to find it:
Records for electronic resources will link you to the main search page of the book or journal.
If the MSMU Libraries does not own the book you want, you may request it from one of our LINK+ partner libraries or the broader Interlibrary Loan (ILL) network. After starting your MSMU Libraries' Catalog search, just click the button that reads “LINK+” on the right-hand side of the page, or extend your search to WorldCat.
You will need a current MSMU Libraries Card (Barcode) to check out books and to request books on LINK+ or WorldCat.
CATALOG
Search by Keyword, Subject, Title, Author, Call Number or ISBN.
Advanced Search is helpful when you need to use more than one search term or need more detailed search options than those offered in the basic keyword search box. Advanced Search allows you to:
Advanced Search allows you to use multiple search bars together. You can search by title, journal title, author, subject, call number, ISBN/ISSN, publisher, series, year of publication, and table of contents. This is helpful if you want to do, for example, an author search on one line and a keyword search on the next line.
There are several options for you to narrow or limit your advanced search, highlighted in the screenshot below, and listed here:
Wildcards
Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters. The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string. You may use '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word.
Examples: environment* polic*, wom?n
Boolean Operators
Use "and" or "or" to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use "and not" to exclude words.
Example: stocks and bonds
Example : (Alaska or Canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Field Limits
A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).
Grouping
Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.
Under (More Searches) on the right side of the MSMU Libraries Catalog
Under (More Searches) on the right-hand side in the catalog:
The loan period is 21 days with one renewal. You may renew your books and monitor the status of your requests by clicking My Library Account on the MSMU Libraries’ home page. Log in using your name and library bar code to see if materials have been shipped or received.
After your last loan period has ended, please return your LINK+ books to the circulation desk at either campus library.
LINK+ no longer charges for overdue materials but does charge $115 for lost or damaged materials.
WorldCat by OCLC is the world's largest network of library content and services.
Search for items using the WorldCat search features. When you locate an item that you need, fill out an ILL Request Form, and the book will be ordered as quickly as possible, usually within a business day or 2. The item may take up to 2 weeks to arrive, so please plan accordingly when ordering books for research projects.
PRO TIP
Create a free WorldCat account to save lists, bibliographies, and reviews.
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries participating in the OCLC global cooperative. Use WorldCat to locate resources you may wish to order through the MSMU Libraries' interlibrary loan service. Library productivity tool
Books in the library are organized according to the Library of Congress classification system.
Each book has a unique call number.
They are organized so that similar subjects are next to each other on the shelf.
When you find a book that you want in the library's catalog, write down the call number and location.
Coe Library - Chalon Campus
3rd Floor (main level)
1st Floor
McCarthy Library - Doheny Campus
1st Floor (main level)
2nd Floor
Call Number Example
Find RC280 .B8 L58 1980b at the Coe Library - Chalon Campus.
This guide will help you find and provide tips on accessing eBooks:
