Finding Books, Articles, & More
OneSearch: Books & More
OneSearch is the library catalog where you can search for books, articles, and more. This catalog searches both the print and electronic collections of the College of San Mateo Library, and can also be used to locate resources at other SMCCD Libraries. OneSearch is a great tool for:
- Finding a specific book when you know the title or author
- Beginning research on a topic
- Seeing if your textbooks are in the library or on reserve
OneSearch is a great tool for getting started, but library databases allow for deeper and more complex searches. Take a look at the next tab to see how to use Library Databases in your research.
Databases & Articles
CSM Library offers access to dozens of subject- and discipline-specific databases that allow students to do in-depth research on a variety of subjects.
- Most databases provide full access to books, journals, magazines, and newspaper articles across all topics
- Databases allow you to limit your search to scholarly or peer-reviewed journals
- Some databases contain specialized collections, such as film or image databases
Visit our A-Z Databases page to browse databases and filter by subject, or try searching one of our popular databases to start finding articles on your topic:
Ebooks
OneSearch searches both print and ebooks, but if you are only interested in doing your research online, then CSM Library's ebook databases are a great place to start. Our ebook databases provide access to hundreds of thousands of titles, many more than our physical library collection.
- Search for items the same way you do in OneSearch: keyword, author, or title
- To read an ebook, simply click through to read our ebooks in your browser - no check-out required!
- Since most ebooks are accessed in a browser you don't need to worry about "returning" these books - just close the window or when you're done
Note that CSM Library currently does not have a Libby or Kindle collection, but some databases may provide downloadable versions compatible with e-readers.
If you are looking for an ebook version of a textbook, then it's best to start your search in OneSearch or visit the Textbooks tab since most textbooks are not usually available through these ebook databases.
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Encyclopedias are available both online and in-person at the CSM Library and are a great place to get background information and learn more about a topic.
- In addition to familiar titles such as Encyclopedia Britannica and the Oxford English Dictionary, the library also has a wide variety of specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries in print at the library and online
- Dictionaries help provide better understanding of discipline-specific language and concepts you might encounter in your classes
Browse encyclopedias and dictionaries online below, or search OneSearch for items in the library.
Textbooks
OneSearch is the best tool to use if you're searching for books and textbooks for your classes. OneSearch will show you the availability of books both in print in the library, and online/ebook versions. If you are looking to buy books and textbooks, you should visit the CSM Bookstore instead of the library.
To see if your book is available at the library:
- Go to OneSearch
- Type in the title of the book and the author's last name if available
- Browse the results to see if your book appears.
- Keep in mind that by default OneSearch searches for books, articles, and other media types, so look for items labelled "BOOK" or limit the resource type to book to refine your results.
- If you find your book, click on the title to check the availability.
If you need help at any time, talk to a CSM Librarian at the reference desk or chat with us:
Films
CSM Library subscribes to several streaming databases to support CSM courses. These streaming databases have access to feature films, as well as educational documentaries, series, and shorts. CSM Library also has a small collection of DVDs available for checkout.
Library Lingo
Familiarize yourself with these library terms and concepts to help you throughout your research
| Library term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Database | Library databases are searchable collections of information that libraries subscribe to so that users can find research and information. Library databases can contain articles, books, videos, and more. |
| Course Reserves | Textbooks or other items used in a course and available for checkout at the library, usually for a shorter period of time. Many textbooks for CSM courses are available for checkout, but not all textbooks for all classes will be available. |
| OneSearch | OneSearch is the database for all of CSM's print books, journals, and other physical media, but also provides access to many of CSM's online resources from within their other subscribed databases |
| Scholarly or Peer-reviewed | Scholarly or peer-reviewed articles are those published in publications with a stricter submission and editing process than magazines and newspapers. Scholarly articles are produced by researchers and often reviewed by other experts in their field before publishing (peer-reviewed) |