COMP 290: Writing about Literature (Sadow)

Dictionary of Literary Devices:  Gradus, A-Z                                  e-book in library catalog

Glossary of Literary Terms (Abrams)                                               Ref PN 41 A184 2015

Key Concepts in Literary Theory                                                      e-book in library catalog

New Handbook of Literary Terms                                                    e-book in library catalog

Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics                                e-book in library catalog

**Click on Advanced Search under Search Everything (Library Discovery Service)

Select Library Catalog link at the top of the search screen. This is an index to the print and electronic book collections and the media collection of Milne Library.

Any Field will search for keywords in fields of the item record, including author, title, subject, and contents.  Use drop-down menu to search for a specific field such as Author, Title, Subject.  Use drop-down menu under Material Type to choose Books.  Click on Search toward the bottom of the screen.

Search Tips

• Use the asterisk to truncate and search for variations of a word, including plural forms

Example:  postcolonial* searches for postcolonial, postcolonialism,

                  postcolonialist(s)               

• Use quotation marks to search for a phrase rather than individual words

           Example:  “narrative technique”

• Add “criticism” to author’s name or title of literary work to find criticism and interpretation

Examples:  Jane Austen and criticism

                    “Paradise Lost” and criticism

**Sign in with your SUNY Oneonta username and password to get complete results and to request items from other SUNY libraries through Interlibrary Loan (Resource Sharing).

By clicking on the QR code in the list of results and scanning the QR code, you will get a link to a copy of your results list.

You can limit your results to those Held by Milne Library or Available Online (limiters on the left of results list).

Virtual Browse (at the bottom of selected records) gives information about books on the shelf near the selected book title.

For electronic books in Milne Library:     

            1.  Click on the title of the book.

2.  Under View Online—Full text availability, link to any database listed and then to the 

     full text of the book.

 For print books in the Circulating Collection in Milne Library:

1.   Note the availability status.

2.   Go to Get It! and select Request Item for Remote Check-out.

3.   The item will be checked out to you, and you will be notified by e-mail when it is

available for pick-up.  Pick-up location is in shelving across from the Circulation  Desk.

4.   Library items can be returned at any time through the book drops either on the         

      Exterior front or back of the building or in the book drop at the Circulation Desk.

For print books in the Reference Collection in Milne Library

Books in the Reference Collection are available for 1-day use in the library building.  To request a reference book for pick-up and use in the library: 

1. Find a reference book using the Library Catalog (make sure it says Available at Milne Library….).  You can select Reference Collection in the Advanced Search of the Library Catalog.
2. Go to Get It! and select Request. 

3. The book will be checked-out, and you will be notified by email when it is available for use. 

4. Pick-up location is on the first floor of the Milne Library across from the Circulation Desk.  A scanner is available for public use on the first floor near the printers. 

5. Reference books should be returned to the book drop at the Circulation Desk when finished. 
6. At close of business, all 1-day use library materials will be cleared from the pick-up location. 

Note:  Select Other Library Catalogs on the library web site.  Select WorldCat in the list.

WorldCat is an online database that lists materials in U.S. libraries and selected libraries throughout the world.  Holdings are indicated for Milne Library and the Stevens-German Library at Hartwick College.  You can search by author, title, subject, and keyword. 

To find books in Milne and other libraries:

• Enter your search terms (author, title, or topic) into the search box.  If the library owns the item, you will see the SUNY Oneonta icon in the results list.  Check the Library Catalog to determine the call number and availability. 

• If the library does not own the item, or the item is checked out, or missing, you can request it on interlibrary loan (ILL).  Click on the title of the item to see the full record, and then click on Request via Interlibrary Loan.

• To request books on interlibrary loan, you must first register at the Interlibrary Loan link on the library web site.  You need to register only once,
• Enter your Oneonta username (Do not add @oneonta.edu) and password in the dialog box. The bibliographic information for the book will appear on the form.  If you are requesting a book that is owned by Milne Library, but in circulation, add this information in the Notes section.  Click on Submit.
• When the book arrives at Milne Library, you will be notified by e-mail.  You can pick up your book across from the Circulation Desk in the library.

Note:  You cannot request an electronic book from another library on interlibrary loan.  The electronic book, however, might also be available in print form, which you can request.

Essay and General Literature Index Retrospective (1900-1984)                                                              Under Databases

            Indexes chapters in books.                                                                                                                 on library web site

For academic research, it is often important to use peer-reviewed (or refereed) journals rather than popular magazines. Peer review is the process by which a journal article is evaluated by experts in the field. An example of a peer-reviewed journal is Narrative.  An example of a popular magazine is National Geographic.

Access the following databases by clicking on the Databases link on the left side of the library web site and locating the database name in the alphabetical list.

Databases Covering Literature

Databases Covering Many Subjects, Including Literature

Locating the full text of the article in electronic form:

If there is no full text with the citation for an article in a database, the full text of the article might be available in another database. Try searching for the journal title in the Journals tab on the library web site. 

Locating the article in print or microfilm, if not available in electronic form:

Note specific issues available in Milne Library.  Refer to the section “For specific issues in the Periodicals Collection” in this course guide to request an issue.

• Use the Journals tab at the top of the library home page.
• Enter the title of the journal or magazine, for example, Narrative, in the search box.  Click on the title of the periodical.

• If the title is available in a database, link to the appropriate database where you can search for the article needed.  Check dates of coverage to determine if full text for the needed article is available. 
• If the title is available in print or microfilm, note the issues available in Milne Library and refer to the section “For specific issues in the Periodicals Collection” in this course guide to borrow the issue.

For specific issues in the Periodicals Collection 

Journals and newspapers in the library’s periodical collection are available for 1-day use in the library building.  To request a journal or newspaper for pick-up and use in the library: 

1. Search the title using the Journals tab (make sure it says Available at Milne Library….). 

2. Go to Get It! Choose the issue or volume wanted, select Request Item for Remote Check-out and submit the form. Use the Comment field to list a specific date if necessary. 

3. The item will be checked out to you, and you will be notified by email when it is available for use. 

4. Pick-up location is on the first floor of the Milne Library across from the Circulation Desk. 

5. Journals and newspapers should be returned to the book drop at the Circulation Desk when finished. 

6. At close of business, all 1-day use library materials will be cleared from the pick-up location. 

If the article is not available at Milne Library in any form, request the article through the link Request through Interlibrary Loan in the record for the article in the database. If the article is not listed in a database, submit the request at the Interlibrary Loan link on the library web site.   Registration at the Interlibrary Loan link is necessary before submitting your first request.

Mary Lynn Bensen (MaryL.Bensen@oneonta.edu)
April 2021