Library Resources for MATUL Students: Find Books

Use the following links to navigate to the various sections of this page:

Having a hard time using the library catalog? You might want to take a look at the How to Search the Catalog section, or you might want to try the links below. These will take you into the library catalog right to a list of resources.

TIP: Once you've clicked on one of the links below and you're in the library catalog, click on the  button to the right to see similar books available in LINK+ libraries.

While you can get many resources sent to you from the APU Azusa Campus libraries, LINK+, and interlibrary loan (see the Requesting Books section), you can also go to the following institutions to use their library facilities and collections:

LINK+ is a library catalog for the holdings of 60+ libraries, including APU Libraries. APU faculty, staff and students may request for free anything in LINK+ that has the status of "Available." Allow 2-3 business days for delivery. For more information, go to the LINK+ section of the library website.

WorldCat allows you to search the collections of more than 10,000 libraries around the world. To request items from WorldCat, see the Interlibrary Loan section in the Requesting Books box below.

NOTE: Please check the APU catalog and LINK+ catalog before using this option - you cannot use interlibrary loan if APU or LINK+ has the item you want.

To find library resources on your topic, follow the steps below.

Step One: Go to the Basic Search in the APU catalog, and enter one or two terms, or a phrase (see below). Select 'Subject' from the drop-down menu on the left (see graphic below), and click 'Submit.' If your terms are recognized subjects, the catalog will take you to a subject list. If this is the case, go to step five and continue.

Step Two: If after doing a subject search, you get the message 'No subjects found; nearby subjects are:' under the search box, then click on the 'New Search' link in the upper right corner, and make sure the drop-down menu to the left of the search box is set on 'Keyword.' Click 'Submit' and follow the rest of the steps below.

Step Three: Skim through your results and look for a book that seems relevant to your topic. Click on the title of the book so that you can see the full record.

Step Four: Look in the 'Subject' section, and click on any subject that has something to do with your topic. If there are no relevant subjects, go back to your original results list and repeat step three.

Step Five: When you click on a subject link, you should be taken to a list of subjects where you can either choose the same subject, or choose a different one. Click on the subject link of choice. You can see the number of items for each subject off to the right. Clicking on the subject link will give you the list of titles for that subject (in the graphic below, you will get a list of 136 titles for the subject 'theological anthropology - christianity').

Step Six: After clicking on the subject link to get the title list, click on the first title link at the top of your new results list (in the example above, all your results will have 'theological anthropology - christianity' as a subject, as well as other subjects that could be useful). Go through this list by using the 'Previous record' and 'Next record' links in the upper right of the screen. You are trying to identify other subjects that are related to your topic. Once you find another subject of interest, click on the link for a new list of titles. You can repeat steps four and five until you feel that you've exhausted the relevant subjects used in the catalog.

TIPS:

• Enter simple words or phrases - you cannot enter entire sentences and expect to get any results
• Note the  button off to the right throughout the catalog - this will take you into the LINK+ catalog where you can find more resources.
• You can use this procedure in LINK+ and the journal article databases
• Jot down the subjects you find in the catalog - you will likely be able to use these as subject searches (instead of keyword searches) in the journal article databases.

Finding Items in the L.A. Center Collection

• If you'd like to search the collection at the L.A. Center, go to the library catalog and select LA Center from the drop-down menu (see graphic below).
• Select a keyword, author, title, or subject search from the drop-down menu on the left. Enter one or more terms and click Submit.

Finding Ebooks

• If you'd like to search for online books, go to the library catalog and select Ebooks from the drop-down menu (see graphic below). 
• Select a keyword, author, title, or subject search from the drop-down menu on the left. Enter one or more terms and click Submit.

• If you've done a keyword or title search, click on the book title link to go to the full record, and then click on the View Electronic Book link. If you've done an author or subject search, click on the desired author or subject, click on a book title link to go to the full record, and then click on the View Electronic Book link. 
• After clicking on the View Electronic Book link, you will be taken to one of two primary platforms (Ebrary or EBSCO eBook Collection) where you can view the book. For information on using these platforms effectively, see the How to Use EBSCO and Ebrary Ebooks online guide.

Finding Print & Online Reference Books

• For print reference books in the LA Center collection, go to the library catalog and select Reference from the drop-down menu (see graphic below). 
• Select a keyword, author, title, or subject search from the drop-down menu on the left. Enter one or more terms and click Submit.

• Unfortunately, this search identifies reference books in all of the APU Libraries (including regional libraries) and not just the LA Center library. You will need to look for LACenter Ref in the location for each result.

For online reference books, look in the following databases:

This section contains information on having APU Campus, LINK+, and interlibrary loan books sent to you. Please note that if you are within a 15-mile radius of the Azusa Campus, you will not be able to have books sent to you - you will need to pick them up from the Azusa Campus. Also keep in mind that we cannot send books to you if you are outside of the United States. To see books (including due dates) that you have checked out, and to renew items, go to your library account.

APU-Owned Books

Regional Center students and faculty may request books for free from the Azusa Campus libraries (but not other Regional Centers). If your address is outside of a 15-mile radius of the Azusa Campus, books will be mailed within two business days of the request. Return postage is included for returning books to the Azusa Campus. To request APU-owned books, follow these instructions:

• Go to the APU library catalog and find a book you would like to request - be sure to click on the title link to go into the full record.
• Click on the  link near the top of the page (you will need to authenticate with your APU username and password).
• Select By Mail from the pickup location menu.
• Provide a cancel date.
• Click Submit.

LINK+ Books

LINK+ is a group of 60+ libraries (mostly academic and mostly in California), including APU Libraries, that have agreed to borrow and lend books. You can use the LINK+ catalog to find even more books than APU Libraries provide, and it's free. If your address is outside of a 15-mile radius of the Azusa Campus, books will be mailed within two business days of their arrival at the Azusa Campus library. Return postage is included for returning books to the Azusa Campus. To request LINK+ books, follow these instructions:

• If you are using the APU library catalog and find a book that is checked out, or has a status other than Available, click on the  button on the right side of the page (be sure you've clicked on the book title and are in the full record when you do this). You may also search for books directly from the LINK+ catalog - just be aware that if APU owns the item and it's available, LINK+ will block you from requesting it. Once you've located a book you want in LINK+, be sure to click the title link so that you see the full record.
• Click on the # LINK+ Libraries Have This Item link. Be sure that at least one library (not including APU) has Available as the status.
• Once the Available status is verified, click on the Request This Item link (you will need to authenticate with your APU username and password).
• Leave the pickup institution as Azusa Pacific University.
• For the pickup location, select By Mail.
• Click Submit.

Interlibrary Loan

If the book you would like is not in the APU library catalog or the LINK+ catalog, you may request it for free through the interlibrary loan service. Again, your address must be outside of a 15-mile radius of the Azusa Campus. Mailing books to you after you request them will take a minimum of 7-10 business days. Return postage is included for returning books to the Azusa Campus. To request books by interlibrary loan, follow these instructions: 

• You can search for books outside of the APU library catalog and the LINK+ catalog by using the WorldCat catalog. You might also see books in your syllabus or a bibliography that you can't get through APU or LINK+. When you have the citation information for a book that you would like to request, fill out the interlibrary loan form on the APU Libraries website (you may need to authenticate with your APU username and password in order to get to the form). 
• Click Submit when you've filled out the form.

NOTE: Pay attention to due dates, especially with LINK+ and interlibrary loan books. Late fines for these books can be expensive.