UW Libraries - Research Guide: Finding Books

Research Guide - Finding Books

Search UW Libraries Catalog
The UW Libraries Catalog lists the books, journal subscriptions, and other material held at the University of Washington Libraries. To use the catalog, start at the UW Libraries Homepage and click on UW Libraries Catalog. You can search a number of ways including:

By author (lastname first)
By title
By keywords - combine search terms with the "and" connector:
- sustainable development and india
- cloning and ethics
- shakespeare and feminist criticism

For additional help, see the catalog's online help (click on the "Help" button from the top menu when using the catalog). If you have questions, contact a librarian.

Locate books and other items in the libraries
Once you have searched the UW Libraries Catalog and found a book or other item that you need, note the library location and call number. Most books and journals have either a Library of Congress call number, Dewey Decimal call number (older works) or SuDoc (government) number. Go to the library and find the item. Some books are in storage areas, these have the location Auxiliary Stacks. Use the Request button in the UW Libraries Catalog to have these books retrieved and held for you.

Each library in the UW system has maps and signs showing where call numbers are located on the shelves. Two useful handouts are:

UW Libraries Map - shows the location of all the libraries on the Seattle campus
Find it Fast - shows locations within Suzzallo and Allen Libraries

For further information on understanding call numbers see: Library Classification Systems on Research 101.

If you have questions about locating books, ask at any library desk.

Check-out and renew books
Check out: Your Husky card is your library card if you are a UW student, staff or faculty. Others need to get a UW borrowers card to check out books. To check out books, take your books to the nearest circulation desk. Check-out periods vary by library and status of the user (e.g., faculty, student, etc.). Check with the specific library about the loan period.
For more information on checking out books and other material see:

Renew: You can renew a book four ways:

Online through your library account. When you access your library account you can:
In person at any circulation desk. Bring your Husky card.
By phone. You will need to provide your UW NetID, number of items, call number or bar code of items.
By email. You will need to provide your UW NetId, number of items, call number or bar code of items.

For more information see:Renewal Policies and Options

Request books that are checked out or at another UW Libraries location
To request an item, search for the book in the UW Libraries Catalog. Once you have found the record (citation) for the book you need, click on the Request button. To use the request button you will need:

A UW Netid
Your UW Netid password

The book will be sent to the library you have chosen and held for you. Books requested from other libraries take 3 to 5 working days to arrive. Books in auxiliary stacks are retrieved twice a day Monday through Friday and once a day on weekends and and holidays.

If the book you requested is currently checked it, it will be returned to the library you have chosen within 2 weeks and held for you.

Get books not at UW
If the UW does not own the book you need you should search UW WorldCat to locate items at libraries at the UW, throughout the Pacific Northwest, and the world. Once you find an item, click the "Get Item" button to have the book transferred to the UW Libraries. You must be a UW student, staff or faculty in order to request books from Summit or via Interlibrary Loan. Requested books generally arrive within 3-5 working days.

If you have questions, contact a librarian.

Find new books in the UW Libraries
Preferred Searches, a UW Libraries service, will automatically let you know when new books are acquired by the libraries in your area of interest.
To use Preferred Searches

Log in to Your Library Account
Select the "Search the Catalog"
Search the Catalog as normal
Click the "Save search commands?" button for searches you wish to save
Saved searches will show on Your Library Account under the Preferred Searches link.

For more help, read about tips, results, and ways to manage your Preferred Searches. Also check to see if there is a new book list for your subject or library.

Search for videos, music, etc.
To search for videos, use the UW Libraries Catalog. You can search by title, author, or keyword (topics, actors, directors, performers, etc.). If you search by keyword, choose the appropriate Publication Type such as "Videos, Slides, Media," "Musical Sound Recordings" and "Computer Files." .
For additional help, see:

List of videos, DVDs & CDs available at the Media Center.
Tips for Searching Music in the UW Libraries

If you have questions, contact a librarian.