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Buddhism: Using the Online Catalog

This guide provides basic reference sources, periodical indexes, sacred texts, and suggested popular works about Buddhism. Last updated 06-01-2023

Using the Online Catalog

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 left side 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.

Start from the Libraries' Home page.  

Below the general search box,  click on Books and Media to search for physical, paper/cloth bound books, paper/cloth bound copies of journals, physical media, such as DVDs, or individually cataloged electronic items.

In Books and Media, click on the down arrow on the right side of the form where it says "Catalog." Choose the type of search you want to do.  In the box to the right put in your search terms.  Enter author's name either last name, first name, or first name last name.  Omit initial articles in book titles; include them as they occur within the book title itself.  To search by LC. subject heading, it may be better to use the Browse Alphabetically by Subject lower down in the list than Catalog: Subject, because those results will show the surrounding subject headings, and number of hits retrieved.  After you receive your results, notice that you can filter them in various ways, by using the facets along the left side of the page.

Advanced search allows for combination of more than one search aspect, such as author and title, or subject and keyword.  You can also confine your results to certain parts of our Collections.  Look at the bottom right side where it says "Location."

Below the general search box on the Libraries' Home page, click on E Books and Journals to search for journal titles in electronic form or for individual electronic books that will have been received by the Library in a package.  You may need to check both Books and Media and E Books and Journals to find your electronic book.

Below are some possible subject headings for use in Browse Alphabetically by Subject searches in Books and Media.  For more suggestions of subject headings to try look at the L.C. List of Subject Headings, a set of fat red books in the Reference Collection, 1 East, call number Z 696....

Another approach.  If you need more books than you are able to find in the catalog on your own, go to the section of this research guide called "Encyclopedias and Dictionaries."  Look up your topic in one or more reference works here.  Often the entries point the reader to particular books and authors on the topic, which you can then look up in our Online Catalog. 

If M.S.U. Libraries does not own a particular book you want you may be able to borrow it through Interlibrary Services.

Buddhism

Buddhism—[country name]

Buddhism—doctrines

Buddhism—history

Buddhism—relations--Christianity

Buddhism—sacred books

Buddhist art and symbolism

Buddhist ethics

Buddhist gods

Buddhist literature

Buddhist monasticism and religious orders

Buddhist philosophy

Buddhist priests

Buddhist sects

Buddhist temples

Dharma (Buddhism)

Hinayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

Pali literature

Tantric Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism

Women in Buddhism

Zen Buddhism