How do I find a book and check it out?
Searching for print and ebooks, movies, and audio materials
To search for items in the library, follow these steps:
1. Click on the "Library Catalog" tab on the Heterick Library homepage, pictured below, and enter your search terms in the box on the new page. This searches the library catalog, which tells you what physical items--like books, CDs, and DVDs--are located in the library building. It will also tell you about ebooks, streaming video, and streaming audio. This link goes directly to the library catalog: https://polar.onu.edu/
2. Once you find an item you think will work, click on the title to see the full record for the item.
3. Look at the subjects, table of contents, and summary (indicated by the orange box in the image below) to learn more about the item and see if it will work for you.
4. If you decide you want the item, look at the box under the title (indicated by the orange box in the image below). The information in this box will tell you how to obtain the item. The first column, location, tells you what section of the building the item is in. This item is in the general collection on the third floor of the building. The second column, call number, tells you where on the shelf to find the item. Most of the items at Heterick use Dewey Decimal call numbers. The third column, status, tells you whether someone else has the item checked out. If the item's status says "Available," use the location information and call number to find the item in the building.
5. If you cannot find what you need at Heterick, try searching in OhioLINK. OhioLINK is a group of college and university libraries throughout Ohio that share physical resources, like print books and DVDs. Once your item arrives at Heterick, you will receive an email letting you know that the item is available for pickup. OhioLINK Catalog
How to Read Dewey Decimal Call Numbers
Dewey Decimal call numbers always start with a three digit number. These are put on the shelf in numerical order as ordinary whole numbers. So, for example, this book, whose call number begins with the number 791, would be located after books whose call numbers start with 790 and before books whose call numbers start with 792.
Following the three digit number is usually a decimal point along with anywhere from one to a dozen or more digits. These are put on the shelf in numerical order as decimal numbers, that is, digit by digit. This can sometimes cause “smaller” numbers to come after “larger” ones. For example, this book, which has the number 4375 after its decimal point, would be located before a book whose call number was 791.582. Even though 4,375 is greater than 582, this book still comes first, because 5 is greater than 4.
After the decimal comes a capital letter followed by one or more digits, which are then sometimes followed by one or more additional letters. For example, this book's call number has the letters and numbers M135s. The initial capital letters are put on the shelf in alphabetical order. The numbers are organized in numerical order as decimal numbers. The final letter or letters also follow alphabetical order.
