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AAS490: Senior Seminar on American Human Rights Policy / Anderson

Google Books

AROUND(#) and Google Books

You can "mine" Google Books for information in interesting ways. For example, you can search for one word or phrase in proximity to another word or phrase. Here's an example:

"African American" AROUND(20) "housing discrimination" 

The above search finds books where the phrase "African American" is within 20 words of the phrase "housing discrimination."

You can even get fancier and add additional terms like a particular location or person. For instance:

Atlanta AND ("African American" AROUND(20) "housing discrimination") 

You can play with the formula by adjusting the number of words. Just be sure to use the AROUND(#). It also works for regular Google. Try it out! Don't just rely on the google algorithm!

Library Catalogs

Emory University

Georgia & Other Universities

Subject Headings

Books in libraries are assigned subject headings - standardized terms that ensure books on the same topic can be found even if you enter different search terms.  

When you find a good book on your topic, click on the subject headings assigned to that book in library search to find other titles on that topic. Or, use the subject heading terms in a new search.

Requests and Recalls

If a book you're looking for is at Oxford College, at the Library Service Center, or checked out, don't fear!

Books that are at the Library Service Center or at Oxford can be requested, and checked out books can be recalled.

In Library Search:

  1. Click the item you'd like to request
  2. Click the "Locate/Request" button
  3. Click the "Request Physical Item" link [Note: you will need to be logged in to your account for this to appear]

You'll be notified by email when the item is available.

NOTE: if the item is checked out, the borrower has ten days to return it.