If you want to find books, the library’s online catalog is the place to look. To search the catalog, click the "Books and Media" tab on the library’s homepage search box. 

Below the search box, there is a drop down menu with options that allow you to search for a specific author or title. You can also just search "anywhere," which is a good place to start when you're searching for books on a specific topic. 

You can search NC State only, or you can search within research libraries in the Triangle, or libraries within the UNC system and beyond. These search options can be useful to discover books that the NC State library can borrow from other libraries without you traveling there! We’ll stick to searching NC State for now, and we'll keep the search set to anywhere. 

Let's see what books the library has about "mobile phones." If you’re using a mobile device or small browser window, you won’t see tabs above the search box. In that case, use the main search box to search, and click on “books and media” on the results page. You can get to the full book search results by clicking on “See all... books”. 

Once you search in the main part of the search results screen you'll find a list of books that mention "mobile phones" If your search has an overwhelming number of results, you can narrow your results down using the filtering tools on the left. For example, under “narrow your search”, you can click to see only the books that are currently available to be checked out... or books that are online. 

Clicking on a topic in the Subject list will show only the items on the topic you selected, such as “wireless communication systems” or “social aspects.” There are additional filters in the left hand column that will let you focus your results in other ways. For example, the “library” filter will show you all the results located in a particular library. 

In the search results list, you can click on the book’s title to get more information. 

Take a look at the information available about the book on the page. Some books will have a summary, the table of contents,or even a Google Books Preview. These might give you a better idea of what the book covers. 

Also notice the location tab. This gives you the information that you’ll need to find the book -- the library where it’s located, shelving location, and whether the book is available or checked out. You’ll also see the call number, which is the unique number for the book and helps you find it on the shelf. 

The location and availability information is also listed on the search results page. This way, if you decide a book is worth getting based on the title, you can just jot it down. Also, pay attention to the library where the books are located -- some are in D. H. Hill, some are at the Hunt Library or other campus libraries, and others exist online as e-books. 

If you need help finding a book, we’re available via chat, phone, text, or in-person -- just  ask a librarian!