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English Research Guide

Finding Stories

 

1. Browse the Cal Poly Humboldt Library stacks 

See your research guide for a quick view of call numbers for literature on the 3rd floor. 

 

2. Search library catalogs (you'll see this image at library.humboldt.edu)

articles plus screen capture

Try using keywords for what you're interested in

Then, when you find a book that fits your criteria, look at the Subject Headings. In this example, you would find that Climatic change -- Fiction will yield far more books.

*Remember to click on the left-side links for Other CSU Libraries and Libraries Worldwide. You can receive those books for free within a few days via InterLibrary Loan

 

3. WorldCAT and The Library of Congress

worldcat screenshot

Use your same keyword strategy for searching library catalogs and see if WorldCAT has additional suggestions for you

Some search limiting options have been highlighted above

library of congress screen capture

 

4. Search Anthologies, Literary Journals, and Book Reviews

  • Search for the story collections written by the authors in our anthologies. Read other anthologies like the Best American series and the O. Henry and Pushcart Prize anthologies. 
  • Look at the list of contributors in the literary journals that are available in FH205. 
  • Search for book reviews online and in the literary journals that are included in the databases. Search for top 10 lists like this one

5. Read authors who have won national/international literary awards

Look for the winners of PEN Awards, Booker Prizes, National Book Awards, etc. 

6. Free eBooks

ebrary
ebrary Academic Complete provides multi-user access to more than 52,000 ebook titles from academic, trade, and professional publishers. Licensed ebooks available to HSU students, staff, and facutly.
ACLS Humanities E-Book
Fully searchable high quality e-books in the humanities from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).
Digital Book Index
Digital Book Index provides links to full-text digital books from commercial and non-commercial publishers, universities, and various private sites. Many of these ebooks are available for free.
Online Books Page at the University of Pennsylvania Open Access
Find free books online.
Open Library
Find classic library texts in the public domain.
Project Gutenburg Open Access
Books in the public domain. Read online or download in various formats.
HathiTrust
The HathiTrust Digital Library offers digital books, both licensed and in the public domain.
CIA Publications Open Access
The CIA website offers a selection of books on the history of intelligence, national security, international relations, and the cold war.