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Literary Research

This guide is to help you to get started researching literature-related topics using Library resources and services.

Use Online Resources

Finding Creative Works

This section contains resources to help you find fiction or other creative works about a theme or of a particular genre  - as opposed to criticism of literature or information about creative works.

These can be very tricky searches to conduct. Try more than one resource.

Use the Library's catalog

Not all literary works in the catalog have subjects associated with them, but many do.

If you're looking for fiction about a subject, try doing a subject search in the catalog - choose "subject" from the drop-down menu on the left. Add the word "fiction" after the subject you're looking for. Some examples include:

  • Africa - Fiction
  • Sisters - Fiction
  • Magic - Fiction

If you're looking for a particular genre of literature, you should also do a subject search in the catalog. Examples include:

  • Science Fiction
  • Love Poetry
  • Historical Drama
  • Western Stories

If you are looking for a book similar to one you're already familiar with, try looking up that title and clicking on its subjects (usually at the bottom of the record). For example, clicking on the subject heading below...

 

...will take you to the link for the following 28 more books:

Use Bibliographies & Books

Books with a call number starting with "REF" are located in the Reference Stacks on the Main Level of the library.