Catalogs
To find books, DVDs, maps, sound recordings, manuscripts, and much more - everything except articles - use a library catalog.
OskiCat = most UC Berkeley libraries
MELVYL = all UC campus libraries, including all UC Berkeley libraries
What's the difference? more details here
For each item make sure you know the name of the physical library, call number, and whether or not it's checked out, library use only, etc.
Call numbers are on the spine of the book; learn how to read them so you can find what you need on the shelves.
Searching OskiCat
Sample searches:
1. japanese internment
click on the title of a relevant item; look for official subject headings, try them out:
subject begins with: japanese americans evacuation and relocation
2. another example: shopgirl*
* = truncation/wildcard symbol (child* = child, childs, children, childish, childhood...)
click on a relevant item, try again:
clerks retail trade
clerks retail trade history
searches on more specific sub-topics:
seneca falls convention
blacklisting of entertainers
442nd regimental
3. author: stanton, elizabeth cady
national american woman suffrage association
works progress administration
What you need to know to find an item in the library:
- library location (we have over 20! each with its own hours! see "Quick Links")
- call number
- each library has a chart or map telling you where the call numbers are for that library
- is the item checked out? missing? library use only?
Try out these OskiCat features:
- limit your search to a type of material (DVDs) or a library location (Doe Reference)
- save items to a list you can e-mail/download/print
- place a recall request online
- request items from storage (NRLF)
- view a list of items you have checked out
- send call numbers to your cell phone (see below)
- receive alerts of new items that match your search terms ("preferred search")
