Search the library catalogue (Omni) to find books of criticism, biographies, bibliographies, concordances, literary glossaries, dictionaries, and encyclopedias on literary works.
Subject headings allow you to search the library catalogue for resources on a particular author or topic and are often more productive than keyword searches.
Keyword searches work best if you have multiple concepts or topics. Use the results to find relevant titles and identify assigned subject headings for your topic in order to find similar books.
In Literature. there are many ways to search for information on an author, work, genre or time period.
For works on an individual author, do a subject search by the author's last name. Select the Subject search and type in the author's last name, a comma, and the author's first name or initial(s).
morrison toni
This heading can be followed by various sub-divisions: Biography, Characters, Criticism and Interpretation, Knowledge, Religion, Political and Social views to name a few.
Note the criticism subject heading used for an author will have the author's name, sometimes date of birth and/or death, and sub-heading "Criticism and Interpretation."
For important work with a known author, search by the author's name:
morrison toni bluest eye.
Keep in mind that only major works will have entire books written about them.
Search for works on literatures or specific genres by country
African literature (English)
American fiction
American literature
English literature
These headings can be subdivided by format, time period or topic:
African literature (English)--21st century
American fiction--20th century--History and criticism
American literature African American authors
American literature--Minority writers
American literature Women authors
African American women in literature
African Americans in literature
Slavery in literature
Women in literature
African American authors
African American women authors
African American novelists
Authors American
Novelists American
Women authors
Women novelists
Child soldiers
Child soldiers--Uganda
Children and war
Children and war--Africa
War crimes
Literature and history
Literature and society
Politics and literature
Once you have found call numbers for a few promising books, go to the stacks, where you will find other related titles.
Selected subject headings for an overview of the historical period include:
United States--History--20th century
United States--History--1945-
United States--Politics and government-- 1933-1945
United States--Politics and government-- 1945-
United States--Social life and customs-- 1945-1970
United States--Social conditions--1933- 1945
Racism--United States--History
Racism--United States--History--20th century