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First Year Seminar

What Matters?

Browse the Collection

Books in the library are classified and shelved by subject.  If you simply want to browse the shelves, here are some broad call number areas to peruse both in Reference on the second floor and in the Circulating collection on the third floor.

Literature, Theatre, Film  - PN

Science and Health - Q, R

Dance - GV

Art - N

Inside the Kenan Organ, 1977, courtesy of UNCSA Archives

Search for Books

The online catalog is a database of the library's holdings.  Type your search term in the box below to begin.  You can search the catalog by title, author, subject and keyword. 

If you are searching for what a particular author has written, use an author search, typing the author's last name first.  If you are looking for criticisms or reviews of an author's work, use a subject search, again typing the author's last name first.

How to Read a Call Number

For a book with the call number PS3537 T3234 G8 1986b:

The first set of numbers and letters are read alphabetically then numerically:

  • you’ll look for PS after PR

  • then 3537 in numerical order within the PSs

The next set of letters is again alphabetical but the numbers are in decimal order:

  • look for the Ts

  • then 3234 will come after 31 but before 33.

Library Floor Plans

Need to locate a book or study room?  Use the link below to find the library's floor plans.

Library floor plans

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Your information need will determine what type of source you consult for research.  Two broad areas of materials are primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are first-hand accounts like diaries or letters composed by someone who actually experienced the event. 

Secondary sources are interpretations of those events such as criticisms or newspaper articles which are written by someone else. 

Below are two good websites filled with primary sources for historical or period research.

Documenting the American South

American Memory Project