Humanities 110

Some things to keep in mind when searching:

• Begin with a basic search. You can refine your results after searching with keywords related to your topic.
• You can refine your results with the filters or facets on the left side of the screen. For example, narrow by subject, author, date, or resource type.
• When you find titles that seem on target, look for subject links in the record. These are important clues to the language the catalog uses for your topic and will lead you to more targeted search results.
• Some books list the entire Table of Contents for the book. Use the information to help you decide if the book will be useful.
• The catalog is a listing of whole books so it describes the whole book, not individual chapters, articles, or essays.

Getting books

If you need help finding the location of a book in the Reed Library, ask for assistance at the Reference Desk or Circulation Desk. We are here to help! If you prefer finding things on your own, the library map will help. You will need to know the call number for books. We use the Library of Congress classification system. 

What is Summit?

Summit is a resource sharing service that provides access to materials from libraries in the Orbis Cascade Alliance, our consortium of 39 academic institutions throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. You can use our shared library catalog to find books and other physical resources. Summit uses a courier service that usually delivers materials within 3-5 business days. When the item you requested arrives at the Reed Library, you’ll get a notification email.

Summit works hand-in-hand with your library account, so no special registration is required. To checkout resources directly from other Alliance libraries, bring your Reed ID when you visit those institutions.

What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a resource sharing service that allows you to request materials that aren't owned by our library or available through Summit. This includes articles not available at Reed and print books and media not at Reed or Summit. ILL is available free of charge to any currently-enrolled student, staff, or faculty member (current and emeritus) with a valid account.

Turnaround time for loan requests is typically 7-14 days, while articles are usually received within 1-2 days. When the item you requested arrives at the Reed Library, you’ll get a notification email. Some items are more readily available than others, so, by necessity, we can't guarantee the receipt or delivery time of any requested item.

When to use ILL

Use WorldCat to find print books and media that are not available via our library or Summit.