University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville

How to find books in the U of A Libraries:

Use InfoLinks, the online catalog, to search for books in the University Libraries:

  1. Use a keyword search if you do not know authors, titles, or subject headings for your topic. Click on Keywords and then type in your word(s) or phrase. To search for multiple words in the same search, to focus the search, use AND between the terms, e.g., children and television and violence.
  2. Use an author search, last name first, for books by an author: for example: click on AUTHOR, then type Matthiessen, Peter or Walker Alice
  3. Use the first words of a title for a title search. Click on TITLE and then type in the title. If you are in doubt about a title, use a word search.
  4. Use a subject search IF you know the subject heading. For example, click on SUBJECT then type United States History Civil War 1861-1865, or Indians of North America Religion.

    5. If you are in doubt about a subject heading, check the volumes of subject headings at the Reference Desk, or try a keyword search, and then look at the subject headings on something you like the looks of. Use an author's name, last name first, as a subject search to find literary criticism.
If the screen shows a list of records,  click on the title of the one you want. Each record screen will show a call number (call numbers explained) which indicates where the book is and what it is about. Books and journals on the same subject will be shelved in the same area. MAIN is the main library, Mullins. FAL is the Fine Arts Library, LRC is the Learning Resources Center, and so on.

To find the book on the shelf: Once you have a call number for each of the books you want, get a call number location slip at the Reference Desk. It will have an alphabetical list of the call number letters and the level and side of the library where each one is located. Books on a subject are with journals on the subject, for the most part.

Find the beginning letters on the tags on the side of the shelves, once you are on the right floor. Then follow the sequence-- they run alphabetically, then according to number, then alphabetically, then by decimal number, then by date, so that BF 2 .N667 would come before BR 2 .R21. If you need help, ask at the Reference Desk.