Using the Library: Find Books

Search GIL-Find Advanced Search now:

Directions:

1. Click on Books & Journals on the library home page

2. Click on Advanced Search

3. Type your search terms in the search boxes and select any Limits you want to use

4. Click Search

Advantages

• Powerful
• Complex searches
• Use search options to refine results

Search Options: 

• Publication Date
• Format
• Language
• Start Date
• End Date
• Search Scope
• Any field can be changed to reflect Title, Author/Creator, Subject, Journal Title, Series Title, Publisher, ISBN

Physical Books at Odum Library

Directions

1. From the search results, you can see the status and location of the book.  

Example: "Available at Odum Library 3rd Floor Shelves (PN6728 .P36 V38 2016 v. 1)" 

2. Use the blue link that follows the book status for more options.  

In this example, you would click on "Odum Library 3rd Floor Shelves (PN6728 .P36 V38 2016 v.1) and other locations >"

Online Resources at Odum Library 

Directions

1. To access online materials, click on Online Access.

2. In the new window, look under View Online. You can access the online material by clicking on the blue link that follows "Full text available at".

Example: eBook Central Academic Complete - GALILEO

Physical Books from other USG Libraries

Directions

1. Visit gilfind.valdosta.edu

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to Valdosta State University and select University System of Georgia 

3. Input your search terms in the first search box and click search 

Accessing Books from University System of Georgia Institutions

To learn how visit the GIL-Express page. 

Odum Library uses the Library of Congress Classification to organize the library by subject. Each book is assigned a call number. 

Things might look a little different than the books at your public library or at a bookstore. However, there are only a few easy rules to follow and you'll be able to find any book in our library! 

The catalog entry will always tell you which floor the book is located on and that's a good place to start. Once you get to the right floor, you're going to want to start reading the call number. 

How to Read a Call Number 

• Left to Right 

In the example for Paper Girls above, to read the call number, you would start with PN and end with v.1. 

• Alphabetically 

The first part of the call number will be 1-3 letters. Read these alphabetically. 

In the example for Paper Girls above, the first part is PN.  PN would come after P, PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, etc. until you get to PN. Each row of the shelves in the library is labeled with a range. Look for those that include PN. 

• Numerically

The second part of the call number is a number that consists of one or more digits. Smaller numbers come before larger numbers. 

In the example for Paper Girls above, the second part of the call number is 6728. 

So once you are in the PN section, you will look for that second number. PN6728 would come after PN6700 and before PN6730. 

*You don't have to count every book. In fact, look ahead on the shelf and see if the numbers jump ahead closer to the number you are looking for. *

• Combine and Repeat

The third part of the call number (if there is one) is made up of a letter and a number.  Use your alphabet and number skills. The key difference with this third part is that the number is read as if it came after a decimal point. Rest assured, typically at this point, you're pretty close to finding your book. 

In the example for Paper Girls above, the third part of the call number is .P36.

Once in the PN6728 section look at that third part.

• PN6728 .P36 would come after PN6728 .M88 and PN6728 .P359.  

• PN6728 .P36 would come before PN6728 .P364 

If it helps, imagine extra zeros after this number .P36(0) vs. .P364.

Keep following this process until you find you reach the year of publication. 

• Year

In the example of Paper Girls above, 2016 is the year of publication. 

• Volume 

If there are volumes in a work (encyclopedia or comic book), the volume will be indicated with v and the corresponding number. 

In the example of Paper Girls above, this v.1 refers to volume 1. 

• Copy

If the library owns multiple copies of the same item, they will be indicated with a c. 

If this was our second copy of Paper Girls v.1., it would read: v.1. c.2. 

The Instructional Materials Collection (IMC) supports the subject discipline methods courses for teacher preparation as well as the instructional programs and research needs of the faculty and students in the College of Education. These materials include children's and young adult literature and a selection of Pre-K - 12 classroom curricular materials.

The Instructional Materials Collection is housed in two areas of the library.  The juvenile literature collection is adjacent to other education-related materials on the 3rd floor starting with the shelving prefix of "LZ". Big books are located in the Big Book bins following the LZs on the 3rd floor. The teaching materials collection, an extensive array of supporting curricular aids, kits, and educational games can be found on the 3rd floor near the LZs to assist students and teachers in practicing classroom instruction. 

Selecting "Advanced Search" in the navigation menu bar at the top of the GIL-FIND@VSU Odum Library Catalog leads to a page with several possible search limits including all of the following locations: 

• IMC - Instructional Materials Collection - (All Instructional Materials, both the 3rd floor "LZ" Juvenile Literature and 2nd floor Room 2609 Teaching Materials)
• IMC - Juvenile Collection - (All Juvenile collections, including the Award Range and Big Books)
• IMC - Juvenile Collection - Big Books
• IMC - Teaching Materials Collection 
  • Kits
  • Games (Educational)
• IMC - Teaching Materials Collection -Puppets 
   

The Fine Arts Materials Collection (FAMC) supports the curriculum and research of the College of the Arts which includes the Departments of Art, Communication Arts, and Music.  The FAMC music CD's, cassette tapes & vinyl records, and movie video recordings can be requested for borrowing at the 1st floor Circulation Desk. Art reproductions are located in the art case housed on the 1st floor.

FAMC scores and scripts are located in room 1617 on the 1st floor of the library.

The FAMC Listening Lab services are available from Media Services.

Selecting "Advanced Search" in the navigation menu bar at the top of the GIL-FIND@VSU Odum Library Catalog leads to a page with several possible search limits including all of the following formats: 
•    Art Reproductions
•    CD's, Tapes & Records
•    Scores
•    DVD's & Videotapes
•    Scripts