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Research Guides

Contemporary Visual Arts Research Guide

Searching the Catalogue

Searching the Catalogue

Most materials within the University of Toronto Libraries are shelved according to the Library of Congress Classification system. 

You can browse the library shelves or search the library catalogue by call number.

The libraries also have eBooks that can be viewed online or downloaded. 

 

In order to search for books, go to the UofT Library Catalogue. For a full detailed guide, download the LibrarySearch Tips here.

First, sign in using the icon, ‘My Account’ in the upper right-hand corner. Once you sign in, you will have access to additional catalogue features:

Select the Advanced Search options:

 

To identify books on your topic, search the Library Catalogue using the Everything option.

 

This will take you to a results page. You can refine your results by format (i.e. book), located on the left-hand side.

 

To narrow down your search, you can choose to limit the results to online books or print books by the library. Most material about Contemporary art can be found in the Eberhard Zeidler Library, Robarts Library, Art Library and Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.

 

In order to find the book on the shelf, you will need the call number - an alphanumeric combination that is the book's "address" in the library. You can also check whether the book circulates (if you can take it out of the library). If you see "Stacks" that means that the book circulates. "Course Reserves" also circulate, but they have a shorter borrowing period, and there are restrictions on who can take them out of the library to use.

If you see a green "Available at" text, the item is available, and you can borrow it. If you see red text reading "Not Available", it means another patron checked out the book until the date indicated.

 

Call Numbers

Call Numbers

The call number is the alphanumeric code you see on the spine of a book. That code is also in the online, library catalogue record, and tells you where on the shelf you can find the item.

What is a call number?

Borrow from other libraries

Borrow from other libraries

Can't find what you are looking for? Use RACER (Interlibrary Loan) to borrow from other libraries.

Login using your library barcode on your TCard and PIN.

TIP: Use the Blank Request Form to order journal articles.