Finding information

To find a print book on your topic, you need to use Unitec LibrarySearch catalogue to find its location and call number.

Step One: Find the book in the library catalogue.

1. Fully understand your topic, and decide what are the main keywords you need to use when searching the catalogue.
2. Go to library homepage. Type your keywords into the search box and check the Catalogue button as below:
3. Click on the Search button
4. You will see a list of items that contain your keywords.  These can be books, ebooks, journals and other physical items.

Step Two: Find its location and call number

1. If the item shown has a green dot under the title, it is available for you to use. 
2. You can now see the location of the item.  For example, the book above is available at Mt Albert, Hub Library, and you can use the call number 372.210993 PEN to find the book on shelves.
3. Write down the call number on a piece of paper, or bring your mobile device with you, to make sure you always have this number when looking on the shelf.

Step Three: Get the book from the shelf

1. Find the shelf that includes your call number. The call numbers that are available on each shelf is indicated at the end of the row.  For example, call number 372.210993 PEN is on the shelf which includes items from ;372.2 to 374.9. Check our floor plan to see how our shelves are arranged in the library.
2. Understand how items are ordered on a shelf. Call numbers are ordered from left to right, top to bottom within each bay of shelves.
   
3. Find your book  on the shelf. Scan the row, level by level, bay by bay to find the first three digits of the call number (e.g. 372 in 372.210993) , and then treat the rest part of the number as a decimal (e.g. 372.210993 should between 372.2 and 372.3).  After you have found the correct number, you need to look for the letters shelved in alphabetical order (e.g. PEN in 372.210993 PEN). Now, you should see your book.  

Option One: Subject Guides

You can search specific databases that recommended by your Knowledge Specialist in their Subject Guide.

1. Go to our list of Subject and Study Guides.

2. Select the subject of your topic. e.g. Not for profit.

3. In the Subject Guide, select the Databases tab to get a list of databases recommended by your Knowledge Specialist.

4. Click on the database link, and within this specific database, type in keywords to search for more articles.

Option Two: Databases A-Z

You can use our Databases A-Z to search databases of your topic. Use the three dropdown lists under the search box to specify your databases by subject, databases type and vendors.

Option Three: Articles-Express

​See how to find articles with Articles-Express

NOTE*: When you find a very useful article on your topic, you can always find more similar articles in its bibliography. See how to find articles by references

Here is a summary of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). You can use it to find the correct DDC number range for your subject:

Here is an outline of how we have arranged our books on the shelves by DDC number:

Can't find the book on the shelf? or too busy to look? You can ask us to locate the book on the shelf for you and put it at a Library customer services desk for you to collect - See how to request a book for pick-up

Booking short loan items
If you wish to request an item on course reserve (short loan) you need to make a booking. See how to book a short loan item.

Avoid fines and missing out on book requests by setting up your library notices correctly.

As well as LibrarySearch we have other tools to help you find information. These are: