Biology Research Guide

The library's main catalog is vast, and contains records not only of every book, journal article, DVD, streaming movie, etc., that are owned and shelved at Foley Library, but also of every item that we have the potential to access for you through our connections with other academic libraries around the world. This adds up to tens of millions of books alone, not to mention many millions of journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, streaming media, archival content, and more.

Start here to search this catalog for anything you'd like to find:

Because the library catalog is so massive, it's not the best tool for every kind of search. This information can help you decide whether you should use the catalog, or whether you'd be better served using one of our library databases instead.

Use the library catalog if:

• You know exactly what you're looking for, and you just want to see what your access options are. This is called a "known item search." To run one, you can type or copy and paste the title of your item into the search bar. For precision, enclose it in quotes (don't forget to check spelling):

  • "Thinking in Systems: A Primer" 

• You are looking for books (either print or digital).
• You are looking for streaming video.
• You are looking for any other physical materials that Foley Library has, such as DVDs, technology, puzzles and games (yes we have them and yes they're cataloged), or print periodicals.

Do not use the library catalog if:

• You're just starting a research project and you're exploring what's out there on your topic. You'll be overwhelmed by content.
• You're doing any kind of research that's discipline-specific. Using a discipline-specific database will get you results faster. And if you're learning about the discipline (for example, considering a major), it's good to engage with its resources, including specialized databases. 
• You have any anxiety about searching for literature, and want to have a positive experience. A great place to start is the database Academic Search Complete, which is easier to use while still offering lots of content.

Foley Library organizes its books using the Library of Congress Classification System. Books on related topics are shelved together, and you can use this system to find them in the stacks without doing a catalog search. Books in the Q and T sections are shelved on the 3rd floor of the library. A full guide to the location of materials at Foley Library is available here.

If Foley Library doesn't have the book you want or need, we can usually get it for you by borrowing it from another library. This process is called interlibrary loan. At our library, we have two systems:

Any current student, staff member, or faculty member of Gonzaga University can use these two systems at no cost. Both options are available within the library's main catalog for items that are requestable.