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Doing Research at the Library of Congress

A Guide to Subject Searching in a Closed Stacks Library

Thomas Mann, Reference Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences
Division
Washington, DC (Research Guide No. 46)

Acknowledgments       Table of Contents

Portions of this       1. Overview Sources
booklet are derived    2. Searching the Catalog with Library of
from the author's         Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
books The Oxford           1. Three Basic Principles of Library of
Guide to Library              Congress Subject Headings
Research and Library           1. Uniform heading
Research Models,               2. Scope-match level of coverage
both published by              3. Specific entry
Oxford University          2. The Four Ways to Find Proper Subject
Press. We thank the           Headings
Press for permission           1. Follow cross-references
to modify this                 2. Alphabetic adjacency of subject
material.                         terms
                               3. Follow subject tracings
Note to First-Time             4. "Browse" lists of subdivisions
Users                      3. Additional Tips on Subject Headings
                       3. Searching the Catalog with Classification
We recommend that         Numbers
first-time users       4. Keyword Searches
read each section of   5. Citation Searches
this guide in order.   6. Related Record Searches
The "page turner"      7. Searches Through Published Bibliographies
links at the bottom       and Printed Indexes
of each page will      8. Talking to People
facilitate browsing    9. Subject Searching for Pre-1968 Books: The
section by section.       Old Card Catalog
                      10. Special Collections
                      11. Summary

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