Scholarly Books
Much literary criticism is published in books, so make sure you're searching for them in addition to journal articles. Often students say that they don't want to use books in their research because they don't have the time to read the entire book. But remember that you don't always have to read and cite the full book for it to be useful. You can read and cite an individual chapter that is relevant to your topic in the same way you use a journal article. Additionally, scholarly books have extensive bibliographies, so check there and in the footnotes/endnotes for more useful sources!
See the next tab in this guide for tips on how to identify scholarly books.
Finding Print Books & Ebooks at Hunter College Libraries
You can search for print (hard copy) books and ebooks at Hunter using the OneSearch tool.
In OneSearch, search for a book by title, author, or subject by typing those into the search bar or using the advanced search feature. After searching, you can use the filters on the right side of the screen to limit your results by date, resource type (select "books" and "book chapters"), subject, and other categories.
How to access an ebook:
Click on the green "full text available" link, then click on the database link on the following screen.
How to Limit Your Search to Ebooks Only:
- Type your search terms into the main OneSearch bar or the advanced search menu and click the search button
- When you receive the search results, locate the filters on the left side of the screen
- Click on the check marks next to "Books" and "Book chapters" (in the "Resource Type" section)
- Click on the check mark next to "Full Text Online" (in the "Limit to" section)
- Click on the green "apply filters" button
How to Locate Print Books in Cooperman Library
To locate a print book on the shelf at Cooperman Library, you will need the book's call number, a unique number that identifies that book. Copy the call number down from OneSearch, then check this list to see which floor the book is on based on the first letter in the call number.
Most books on language and literature have a call number beginning with P, and are located on level B2 of Cooperman Library.
To take a book home with you, bring it to the Circulation Desk near the 3rd floor exit of Cooperman Library and check it out using your OneCard.
Accessing Books from Other CUNY Libraries
With a Hunter OneCard, current students, faculty, and staff can visit and check out books from any CUNY library except the School of Law. (Note that COVID protocols may limit access to some CUNY campuses. If you have plans to visit another CUNY library, contact them in advance to verify that you can enter the campus and library with a current Hunter ID)
You can also request that books from other CUNY Libraries be delivered to you at Hunter through our CLICS service:
Search for the title you want in "all CUNY Libraries" in OneSearch, click on the title, sign in with your CUNY login credentials, and follow the prompts to place a request. You will receive an email when the book is available for pick-up at the Cooperman Library Circulation Desk. Delivery generally takes 4-7 business days, so if you need the book sooner than that, you might consider going in person to the other CUNY library instead.
(Be aware that--unfortunately--you cannot remotely access ebooks from other CUNY campuses.)