Searching the Library Catalog

quick search of catalog

The search box on the home page is the best place to start. Choose "Books" for both print and ebooks or "Ebooks" tab for just Ebooks.

You can change your search options by choosing the following from the dropdown menu:

  • Keyword - for searching all titles, subjects and abstracts for a key word. (most common search)
  • Title - If you know the title of the book, choose "title" from the menu and type the title.
  • Author - If you want to view all the books by an author, type the last name, first name (ex. Roberts, Oral)
  • Subject Heading - Similar to key words, all records have assigned subjects. You can search basic subjects, such as "Pentecostalism"

This search can also be used to find journal titles.

5 Reasons to Use the Library Catalog

  1. To find out whether the ORU Library owns a particular title. The Library Catalog is the tool to use to find out whether a book or other information resource is physically available in the Library. The physical formats collected by the ORU Library include printed books, paper journals including loose current issues and bound volumes of back issues,DVDS, and microfilm. The titles of most of the ebooks the Library owns or provides access to are also searchable in the catalog.
  2. To see what the Library has on a certain topic. Start with a keyword search such as opens new windowafrica* AND relig*, scan the results to find a title that pertains to the research topic, look at the record for that item, and then click a relevant subject heading, e.g., opens new windowAfrica -- Religion.
  3. To see which books an instructor has put on reserve. The catalog can also be used to find the titles of the books or other items your professor has put on reserve for a course. To search for reserve materials, use the opens new window instructor Search page (the link is located in the right menu of any catalog search page) and search by the instructor's last name.
  4. To renew items borrowed from the Library. The catalog can be used renew books provided they are not overdue. Sign into your library opens new windowaccount using your first and last name and the barcode of your ORU ID card. Mark the items you wish to renew, and click the "Renew" button. If books are overdue, contact the Library Services Desk.
  5. To browse the library shelves. The catalog can be used to browse the library shelves electronically. Do a call number search and begin browsing. For example, search for opens new windowBR1644 from the opens new windowcall number search page, and browse the titles that have that classification.

Example of a Book Record in the Catalog

Notice there are two records: a record for the physical book in the HSRC and record for the ebook. The physical book record contains the following:

  • Author - Vondey, Wolfgang
  • Title - Pentecostal Theology: Living the Full Gospel
  • Publication Information: London, England: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017
  • Call number -- BX8762.Z5 V66 2018
  • Location -- 3rd Floor Holy Spirit Resource Center (PEN)
  • Status - LIB USE ONLY

To access the ebook, click the link to go to the ebook database.

catalog record for Pentecostal theology

In the box in the middle is the link to the Ebook. From there you can read the book in ProQuest Ebook Central. Click "Read Online" to browse the book, look at the table of contents, or search the book.

database record for an ebook

Example of a Journal Record in the Catalog

This bibliographic record provides the following information about a journal held in the ORU Library, its...

Sample record of a journal in the library catalog

  1. Title - Pneuma: the Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies
  2. Publication Information: Springfield, Mo.: Society for Pentecostal Studies
  3. Identity (i.e., format) --paper
  4. Call number -- BR1644 .P57
  5. Location -- LRC 5th Floor Holy Spirit Research Center Periodicals
  6. Coverage (years,volumes, and issues held)-- v.1/2 (1979/1983-v.37 (2015), v.38:no.1/2 (2016, v.38:no.3 (2016).

Hint: In the list of years and volumes, a hyphen indicates that the Library has all the volumes between the numbers on either side of the hyphen while a comma indicates a gap. In other words, a comma means that one or more volumes or issues is missing.