Sensitive Subjects

The library's collection is always evolving. Below are a few strategies to find the resources you need on any topic. In this section, you'll learn how to:

• Browse the shelves
• Use the virtual browse
• Search subject headings
• Expand your search to I-Share
• Search Databases

Browse the Shelves

We love when students, faculty, staff, and community members come in to browse our shelves! Sometimes the best way to find exactly what you're looking for is to wander around the library.

The library has six floors, so we recommend that you look up the call number section(s) for the topic you're interested in. Otherwise, it can be hard to find what you need! The Call Number Ranges page includes a list of topics with their call number ranges and floors. The page also includes a breakdown explaining how to use call numbers.

Once you've identified the right floor, you can use our floor maps to find the right areas to look.

Virtual Browse

You can virtually browse the physical shelves in the library catalog. Locate a title of interest by searching for a title, keyword, or subject. Scroll down in the catalog record, and you'll see a virtual browse of other materials on the shelf!

Subject Headings

To find all types of resources -- both physical and online-- try searching against the "subjects" field. Subject headings are standardized vocabulary that are added to records to help you find what you need and can be more precise than title or keyword searches.

To search for a subject, enter your search terms and then choose to search for items with those terms "in subject" by changing the dropdown menu below the search box. Depending on your terms, you may choose to search for items "with the exact phrase" (in the example below, search results must have the exact term "body image" listed in the subjects) or for items "that contain my query words" in the subject (following the example, this would return records with "body" and "image" in the subjects). To expand your search, consider changing the Library Catalog dropdown (in the image below) to I-Share Libraries. More on I-Share below!

Unsure which subject headings to search? If you find a title that interests you, scroll down to "Details" to see the subject headings. These are clickable terms in that record that will help you continue your browsing:

Using I-Share

While Milner Library has a sizable collection, you have access to many more titles through I-Share. I-Share is a consortium of academic libraries in Illinois, and you can request books from other libraries or visit them in person. The list of I-Share libraries is available here.

To search for materials in I-Share that aren't owned by Milner, you can change your search target to I-Share Libraries. The following 2-minute video will show you how to search for books and request them:

Search Databases

The library has much more than physical materials! When you're searching the library's catalog, you'll find physical materials and ebooks, but if you want to find more online content, try the following databases:

Additionally, you can browse our Databases A-Z List.