LibGuides: HIS 3380: Workshop in Historical Methods: Books

Using Books

Books can be used to gain new ideas, perspectives on a historical topic, plus to find new sources on a topic.

Below are four ways to find books.

Four Ways to Find and Use Books

Amazon
If borrowing is not an option, or it will take too long to borrow from another library, can can search Amazon to purchase a copy of a needed book.
Interlibrary Loan
This service allows you to borrow from another library. You submit the request for a book or journal article, and we'll find a library that has the requested item, ask them to send a copy to us, and then we'll notify you when the item is available. Use InterLibrary Loan after you have found books on WorldCat, or journal articles that we don't have.
Library Catalog
The Texas Wesleyan University Library catalog allows you to search through the print books that are located on the third floor. You can also access many electronic books through the catalog.
WorldCat
Worldcat is a world catalog because it allows you to search the collections and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide Worldcat has over 2 billion items to search. Use WorldCat if you are unable to find any books on your topic in the West Library

Library of Congress Classification

Library of Congress Classification Outline
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The Library is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress.
The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) is a classification system that was first developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to organize and arrange the book collections of the Library of Congress. It has since been adopted as the standard classification system of many university libraries, including the West Library at Texas Wesleyan University.

Detailed Library of Congress Classification for History

C: Auxiliary Sciences of History
CB: History of Civilization
CC: Archaeology
D: World History
DA: Great Britain
DAW: Central Europe
DB: Austria Liechtenstein. Hungary. Czechoslovakia
DC: France
DD: Germany
DE: Greco-Roman World
DF: History of Greece
DG: History of Italy
DH: History of Low Countries. Benelux Countries
DJ: History of Netherlands (Holland)
DJK: History of Eastern Europe (General)
DK: History of Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics
DL: History of Northern Europe. Scandinavia
DP: History of Spain
DQ: History of Switzerland
DR: History of Balkan Peninsula
DS: History of Asia
DT: History of Africa
DU: History of Oceania (South Seas)
DX: History of Romanies
E: United States History
E186-199 Colonial history (1607-1775)
E201-298 The Revolution, 1775-1783
E300-453 Revolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861
E456-655 Civil War period, 1861-1865
E660-738 Late nineteenth century, 1865-1900
E740-837.7 Twentieth century
E838-889 Later twentieth century, 1961-2000
E895-904 Twenty-first century
F: United States Local History
F106 Atlantic coast. Middle Atlantic States
F161-175 Delaware
F176-190 Maryland
F191-205 District of Columbia. Washington
F206-220 The South. South Atlantic States
F221-235 Virginia
F236-250 West Virginia
F251-265 North Carolina
F266-280 South Carolina
F281-295 Georgia
F296-395: Gulf States
F306-320 Florida
F321-335 Alabama
F336-350 Mississippi
F350.5-355 Mississippi River and Valley. Middle West
F366-380 Louisiana
F381-395: Texas
F396 Old Southwest. Lower Mississippi Valley
F406-420 Arkansas
F431-445 Tennessee
F446-460 Kentucky
F461-475 Missouri