Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction. For research purposes, you may be looking for books that provide a good introduction and overview of your topic, or the book may focus on a very specific aspect of a broader subject.

Libraries organize and store their book collections on shelves called "stacks." The books are arranged by call number using the Library of Congress call number system.

Electronic books or "ebooks" are now available electronically on the Web and some have been purchased by your library.

Use a Book

• when looking for comprehensive information on a topic
• to put your topic in context with other important issues
• to find historical information
• to find summaries of research to support an argument

Examples of Books

• Garces-Foley, Kathleen, ed.  Death and Religion in a Changing World. Amonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.
• Weber, Caroline.  Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution. NY: H. Holt, 2006.
• Zimbardo, Phillip.  The Lucifer Effect:  Understanding How Good People Turn Evil.  Random House, 2007.

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