We have a new online catalog fall semester, 2022, which is undergoing various improvements. It does not work exactly the way these older directions below portray. Some of the information about subject headings may still be useful.
It is possible to do a quick and dirty, one box keyword search of the contents of the MSU Libraries' web site, starting at the top left of the Libraries' home page. The results will be sorted into several categories to follow up on: articles from journals, books/media from our online catalog, databases, library research guides like this one, other. To do a more traditional search, read on.
Search Our Books and Media (online catalog) by personal author, corporate author, title of book, author/title combination, title of periodical, keyword(s) that might be found in a title, subject heading, or call number.
Authors may be individuals, organizations, or corporate entities. For personal authors enter surname, first name. Examples: Gregerson, Linda. Ignatius of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556. Dominicans.
Titles may be titles of particular books or particular journals/periodicals. Do not start a title search with the words “A”, “An”, or “The.” Do include these words as they occur later on in a title. Examples: Empires of God. Journal of Early Modern History.
Keywords are words that one hopes to find in titles. In keyword searching the computer matches the word or words requested; it has no brain and cannot think. It has no capacity to understand the meaning of the word(s) as you intend it/them in your search. Recently coined terms and topics may be best searched by keyword because it takes some time for new subject headings to be established by catalogers. Examples: Jansenism. Hurons. Catholic Reformation. Text box. Flash drive. Care package.
Call numbers can be searched if you have a general or specific call number. In this way one can browse the shelves of the Main Library from the comfort of home. Example: BX 3701 (Jesuits). BX 1491 (English Catholics).
Subject headings are standardized words and phrases assigned by catalogers when cataloging library materials. They are published in the Library of Congress' List of Subject Headings, a large set of red books, located in the Reference collection, first floor East, call number Z 695.... Remember, persons (last name first), organizations, companies, places, and events may all be L.C. subjects even though their names are not in the L.C. List... Subject heading searching usually results in better quality subject retrieval than keyword searching. Examples: Ignatius of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556 (for books about him). Catholic church. Jansenists. Wyandot Indians. Black Legend (Spanish history). Councils and synods. Council of Trent. Brazil. France. China. Jesuits—missions. Catholic Church—history—16th century.
Some possibly useful subject headings. Use Subject search.
| Adrian VI, Pope, 1459-1523 Allen, William, 1532-1594 Anchieta, Jos de, 1534-1597 Augustinians Bellarmino, Roberto Francesco Romolo, Saint, 1542-1621 Black legend (Spanish history) Brbeuf, Jean de, Saint, 1593-1649 Capuchins Carmelites Casuistry Catholics, [nationality] Catholic Church—[place or country] Catholic Church—catechisms Catholic Church—clergy—correspondence Catholic Church—clergy, training of Catholic Church—[country] Catholic Church—creeds Catholic Church—customs and practice Catholic Church—diplomatic service Catholic Church—discipline Catholic Church—doctrines Catholic Church—doctrines—history Catholic Church—education Catholic Church—foreign relations (between the Church and political jurisdictions) Catholic Church—history Catholic Church—history—16th c. Catholic Church—history—17th c. Catholic Church—history—modern period, 1500- Catholic Church—history—societies Catholic Church—history—sources Catholic Church—liturgy Catholic Church—missions Catholic Church—missions—[place] Catholic Church—missions—early works to 1800 Catholic Church—missions—societies Catholic Church—[rites] Oriental, Celtic, Ethiopian, etc. Catholic Church—periodicals Catholic Church—prayer-books and devotions Catholic Church—relations (with other religions or denominations: Church of England or Protestants, for example) Catholic Church—sermons Catholic Church—societies Catholic Church and humanism Catholic converts Catholic institutions Catholic learning and scholarship Catholic nonjurors Catholic preaching Catholic schools Catholic statesmen Catholic teachers Catholic theological seminaries Catholic universities and colleges Catholic women Catholics—[place] Catholics, [nationality] Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, 1500-1558 Christian heretics Christian life Christian martyrdom Christianity Christianity—early works to 1800 Church history—Middle Ages, 600-1500 Church history—modern period, 1500- Church history—16th c. Church history—17th c. Convents [country or place name]—church history [country or place name]—early works to 1800 [country or place name]—history. (for examples: India. Asia, Southeastern. Ethiopia. Canada—history—to 1763. New France. Caribbean, English-speaking. Caribbean, French-speaking. Caribbean area. Mexico. China. Japan. Brazil. England. France. Etc.) |
Council of Trent Councils and synods Counter Reformation Death—religious aspects Devotional literature Dominicans Elizabeth I, Queen of England Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536 Ferrazi, Cecilia, 1609-1684 Ferrer, Vincent, Saint, ca. 1350-1419 Ficino, Marsilio, 1433-1499 Francis I, King of France, 1494-1547 Francis de Sales, Saint, 1567-1622 Francis Xavier, Saint, 1506-1552 Franciscans Gallicanism Henry VIII, King of England Humanism Ignatius of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556 Indians of North America—Ontario Indulgences Iroquois Indians Inquisition Jansenists Jesuits Jesuits—history Jesuits—missions Jussie, Jeanne de, 1503-1561 Kempis, Thomas, 1380-1471 Marquette, Jacques, 1637-1675 Mary I, Queen of England Martyrdom Martyrs Missionaries Missionaries—[place] Missionaries—training of Missions Missions, [nationality] Monasticism and religious orders Mysticism Mystics Nobili, Roberto de, 1577-1656 Nuns Papacy Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662 Paul III, Pope, 1468-1549 pietism piety Pius IV, Pope, 1499-1565 Pius V, Pope, 1504-1572 Pius V, Saint, Pope, 1504-1572 Pole, Reginald, Cardinal, 1500-1558 Prayer Press, Catholic Priests Printing Printing presses Religious life Renaissance Rhodes, Alexandre de, 1591-1660 Ricci, Matteo, 1552-1610 Sahagn, Bernardino de, 1499-1590 Samurai Savonarola, Girolamo, 1458-1498 Slavery Slavery—[place] Spiritual life Suffering—religious aspects Teresa of Avila, Saint, 1515-1582 Thirty Years’ War, 1618-1648 Ursulines Visitations Wyandot Indians |
