Use One Search to locate books and other library materials by keyword.  If you're looking for a specific item you can search by title, author, etc using the advanced search.

• Tip: When you find one book that looks useful, review the subject terms that are listed in the book's record.  Click on the link for any subject term that looks relevant to view other books in the library related to that subject.
  
  For example: The following are useful related subject terms for the topic of evolution. Search one of these terms to view a list of books on the particular topic.
  
  Behavior evolution
  Ethics, evolutionary
  Genetics
  Human beings -- Origin
  Human evolution
  Natural selection
  Social evolution
  Species
  Variation (Biology)

For books relevant to Charles Darwin's influence on society and history, search one of these recommended subject terms: 

• Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 -- Influence
  Evolution (Biology) -- History
  Social Darwinism
  Social Darwinism in literature

• Identify and brainstorm the key words and concepts relevant to your search--usually noun concepts and their synonyms.
  Example: If you're researching the topic of "technology," related terms may be "tools", "industry", or "invention."
  
  
• Use Boolean operators to link key words for searching. 
  To narrow a search to an exact topic, link major concepts with the Boolean operator "AND."
  Example: If searching for books addressing the representation of minorities in science fiction, search for "science fiction" AND "race", or "science fiction" AND "women", or "science fiction" AND "minorities".
  
  To expand a search to retrieve more results, link synonyms or related concepts with the Boolean operator "OR."
  Example: If searching for books dealing with the historical ideology of "savagery", search for "savagery" OR "barbarism" and "colonialism" OR "imperialism" OR "domestication."

• Use truncation to search for all variations of a key word. 
  

Example: If searching for books on civilization, search for "civil*", typing an asterisk or star symbol (*) at the end of the root "civil".  This will find books that mention "civilization," "civility," "civilized", and "civil", all of which may be relevant to your research.

Want to search for items @ other libraries?  

Try a Worldcat Search

The Cal State LA Library doesn't have the book or article you need?  No problem.  We'll get it for you. Use CSU+ (books or media) or Interlibrary Loan (articles) to request that we find the resource at another library.

• You will need to set-up an ILL account the first time you use the service. This account is good for your entire student career at Cal State LA 
   
• What's it cost? Nothing. For students, faculty, and staff of Cal State LA, interlibrary loan is a free service.
   
• How long does it take? If the book is available at a sister campus in the CSU system, we will get it for you within 3 working days. If we need to borrow the book from another library, it will take a maximum of 2 weeks to receive the book through the mail.
   
• How long can I keep the book? That depends on the lending policy of the library who loans us the book.  Some libraries let you keep the book for 2 weeks, some for 3 weeks, some for 4 weeks.  You will learn when the book is due when you receive it and check it out.
   
• Where do I pick up the book? At the Service Desk inside Library North's main entrance.