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How To Browse For Books: Home

How To Browse For Books

To browse for books on your topic, you need to know where in the library to look. The MCC Library book collection is located in the stacks, also known as the quiet study area. It is to the left and back of the circulation desk.

MCC Library uses Library of Congress Classification System to organize and shelve books in our collection. This means books on the same topic will be shelved next to each other. 

To find out the call number area for a particular topic, it is best to first search the library catalog. to do this, follow the steps below:

To Find a Book on Your Topic:

  • Click on Academic Sources from the main library website, then click on MCC Library Catalog
  • Type your topic in the search box, for example, climate change
  • Use the drop-down box to the right of the search box to select MCC Library Catalog
  • Hit enter
  • A list of books matching your search will appear
  • Click on the title of a book that most closely matches your topic. Make sure to select a BOOK ( not a DVD or Audiobook, etc.) Also make sure to select an item located in the stacks and not online.
  • Scroll down to see the call number

Once you have the call number for a book closely related to your topic, you can go to that area of the stacks and look at the other books on the shelf in the same area. They should be related to your topic. The Library Catalog also has a "Virtual Browse". At the bottom of the item you selected, see the covers and links to other books on the same topic.