Research Guides: TSEM 190: Visions of Water (Siegel): Find Books & eBooks

What if we don't have the book you want?

No problem! You have access to the World's libraries by using Interlibrary Loan. Simply request the book (or article) you want and our team of library ninjas will work to locate a copy we can borrow from another library. While electronic resources can be delivered in a day or two, physical books require more time to process and ship to our location. Be sure to start your research early to identify what materials outside Cook you will need and ensure they get to you in time.

Interlibrary Loan System
Use ILLiad to request books, articles, and more. If you have not used ILLiad before, click on the First Time Users link to create an account.
Using Interlibrary Loan
This video shows you how to set up your interlibrary loan account to order books and articles from outside the library.

Finding Books & ebooks online

WorldCat TU
WorldCat TU is a great way to find books not only at our library, but also through the USMAI system, and libraries worldwide. The books available at Towson will show up first in your search results and then USMAI, followed by other WorldCat Libraries.
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Get the call number and location information for the item in order to find it in Cook Library. For books owned by USMAI libraries, use the 'Request Item' button to get it. For books at other WorldCat Libraries, click the "Request Item through Interlibrary Loan."

Ebook Central This link opens in a new window
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A multidisciplinary e-book database that covers all academic subject areas. The collection includes more than 150,000 titles from more than 220 academic, STM, and professional publishers. Towson University's Ebook Central collection also includes 8 separate databases in business, marketing and economics; humanities; life and physical science; medical sciences; computers and information technology; engineering and technology; social and behavioral sciences; education; and reference and maps. In order to download books for offline viewing, you will need Adobe Digital Editions. This collection of ebooks used to be hosted on Ebrary and EBL.
HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
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HathiTrust Digital Library is a digital preservation repository which provides long-term preservation and access services for content from a variety of sources, including Google, the Internet Archive, Microsoft, and in-house partner institution initiatives. The repository includes digitized and fully searchable online copies of public domain and in-copyright books and other publications.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
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Selected titles. Gale eBooks provides access to encyclopedias and other reference works covering education, law, world biography, business, economics, other cultures, public health, and more. Terms and Conditions

Browsing books in the academic library

The books in Cook Library are organized using the Library of Congress Call Classification System. While it isn't as intuitive a design as you would find in a bookstore, there is method behind the madness! Serendipitous browsing can be a fun way to find new inspiration for your art. Cook's circulating collection begins on the 5th floor with call number range A-M and continues onto the 4th floor with books in the call number ranges N-Z and our juvenile books collection. Library floor plans and directory information can be found here.

Library of Congress Classification At-a-glance:

5th Floor of Cook Library:

A - General Works (Encyclopedias, Directories, Indexes)

B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion

C - Auxiliary Sciences of History (Archeology, Numismatics, Biography)

D - General & Eastern History

E - American History

F - Western History

G - Geography, Anthropology, Recreation (Maps, Folklore, Oceanography, Sports, Dancing)

H - Social Sciences & Business

J - Political Science

K - Law

L - Education

M - Music

4th Floor of Cook Library:

N - Fine Arts

(NA - Architecture, NB - Sculpture, NC - Drawing & illustration, ND - Painting, NE - Print Media, NK - Decorative Arts)

P - Languages & Literature (you can find Graphic Novels in subclass PN6700)

Q - Science (Geology, Botany, Zoology, Human Anatomy)

R - Medicine

S - Agriculture (Plant & Animal Culture, Forestry)

T - Technology (railroads, Construction, Electrical Engineering)

U - Military Science

V - Naval Science

Z - Library Science, Bookmaking, Typography

Ask a Librarian

TSEM 190: Visions of Water (Siegel)

What if we don't have the book you want?

Finding Books & ebooks online

Browsing books in the academic library