LibGuides: History Research: Finding Books & Book Chapters

Search the Bentley Library Search & eBook Collections

With over 154,000 books & 8,000 DVDs & Videos in the Bentley University Library's Collection, the Library Search is a great place to find primary and secondary sources for your project. Best practice is to log in first to Library Search before using it.

Search tips can help you formulate more relevant search queries.
Possible keywords you can use to find primary sources include:
- Sources,
- Personal Narratives
- Diaries
- Correspondence
- Documentaries
- Interview(s)
- Letters
- Testimony.
Look in the appendices & exhibits of books to view excerpts of diaries, interviews & facsimiles (primary sources).
Library Search also includes a number of government documents (primary sources).
Look in the bibliographies of sources you find, to identify other citations to explore.

Ebook Central (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Ebook Central (ProQuest) contains the Academic Complete collection: downloadable ebooks, in multiple languages, that encompass areas of the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Academic books, software manuals, language learning materials, and more are included.
eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
EBSCO eBooks allows users to search, view and print the full text of electronic books.
Google Books This link opens in a new window
Google Books is a Web archive of digitized books provided through a partnership among Google, libraries and publishers. Free resource.
OverDrive eBooks & Audiobooks This link opens in a new window
The OverDrive eBooks & Audiobooks collection provides fiction and non-fiction eBooks and audiobooks, and can be used with the Libby mobile app and/or your preferred device. Formats include OverDrive Read, ePub, and Kindle for ebooks, and OverDrive Listen for audiobooks.

Search for Items Beyond Bentley Library

Want to broaden your search to find even more materials? You can search for resources from libraries around the world using WorldCat.org.

WorldCat.org This link opens in a new window
WorldCat.org lets users search the collections of thousands of libraries around the world. Users can search for popular books, music CDs and videos. Users may also find article citations with links to their full text, authoritative research materials such as documents and photos of local or historic significance and digital versions of rare items that are not available to the public.

You can also try searching Google Books.

Google Books
Google Books contains freely available ebooks in the public domain. For ebooks still under copyright, excerpts and purchase links are provided.

If you find some books (or even just a chapter from a book) as you research that the Bentley Library does not have access to in our collections that would be useful to you, be sure to request them through Interlibrary Loan.

Bentley Library Doesn't Have It? Request it!

If you find an item (book, article, book chapter, etc.) in WorldCat, one of the databases, Google Scholar, or online that the Bentley Library does not own, you can request for that item to be sent here for you to borrow. Use our Interlibrary Loan system to request materials from other libraries.

Interlibrary Loan
Use this link to place requests to borrow books, articles, and other materials that Bentley Library does not own. Policies and other FAQs available on this page.

Interlibrary Loan will not be able to obtain eBooks, the full issue of a journal, reference books, and may not be able to obtain DVD/Videos, audio books, conference proceedings, dissertations, or case studies.

Borrowing from Other Libraries

Did you know that Bentley Library is a member of the Boston Library Consortium? Find out how to borrow materials with a BLC card!

Borrowing Beyond Bentley
Learn about borrowing privileges available at other area libraries including via the Boston Library Consortium.

Finding Books! Using the Call Number.

The Bentley Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) Call Number System as a way to organize our books. These books are shelved by subject, so if you go to look for a book in the library - you might find others on your topic on the shelf right near the one you were looking for!

LC Call numbers are "read" alphanumerically. Look for the letters first, then the numbers!

>Try it out! Use this call number test from Kent State University Libraries to practice your understanding of the Library of Congress system.

"Get It"

The "Get It" section of a book record will include the information on where to locate a physical item within the library.

"Map It"

The "Map It" section of a book record will include the information on where on the Building Map to locate a physical item within the library. You will still need the call number information to locate it.