ebook Databases

Books & ebooks

Books: Search the library opens new windowcatalog for ORU holdings. For books held elsewhere, look in WorldCat (opens new windowFirstSearch or open access). Another way to locate books is to browse the opens new windowB Library of Congress class numbers either by doing a call number search for the desired classification in the library catalog or by browsing the B section in the Reference area or in Main (where books that may be checked out are shelved).

opens new windowEbooks To use ebook functions such as annotating and downloading, sign up for a personal account in opens new windowEbook Central and in either the EBSCOhost opens new windoweBook Collection or the EBSCOhost eBook Religion Collection. For more on how to use and download ebooks, see the opens new windowebooks@ORU guide.

Bible Commentaries

To identify the more scholarly Bible commentaries, use the Bible commentaries series chart in the Bible Commentaries Plus guide. The chart categorizes the commentaries as devotional, pastoral, or academic, with the academic category generally being the most scholarly and therefore the most desirable for use in college papers.

See also David Bauer's Essential Bible Study Tools for Ministry, especially the "Highly Recommended" sections of his selected lists of commentaries for each book of the Bible. The book is kept at the Library Services Desk on the "Quick Reference" shelf.

Library of Congress Classification - Class Number for Bible

  • B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
    • B-BD - Philosophy
    • BF - Psychology
    • BJ - Ethics
    • BL - Religions
    • BM - Judaism
    • BP - Islam, etc.
    • BQ - Buddhism
    • BR - Christianity
    • BS - The Bible
      • BS2575+ - Matthew
      • BS2585+ - Mark
      • BS2595+ - Luke
      • BS2615+ - John
      • BS2805+ - 1-3 John
      • BS2825+ - Revelation
    • BT - Doctrinal Theology
    • BV - Practical Theology
    • BX - Christian denominations
  • H - Social Sciences (General)
    • HQ -The Family, Marriage, Women
  • P - Language and Literature
    • PA- Greek; Latin
    • PJ4543-4937 - Hebrew(Biblical and modern)
    • PJ5201-5329.5- Aramaic
    • PJ5401-5809-Syriac