Education Library Resources: Finding Books

Start with a simple keyword search in the catalog. Once you have found a material that looks relevant, you can view other related titles by looking at the subject headings listed in the record. Subject headings are linked; if you click on a subject heading, you'll see all the materials that have been tagged with it.

Each book's catalog record will tell you where it's located in the library and if it's available to be checked out. You can browse the stacks yourself to find it, or you can click "Request" and have a library staff member retrieve the book for you.

Sometimes resources are available at multiple libraries. You can request a book from any library on campus and have it sent to any other campus library for pickup.

If a book is located at Reserves (Service Desk), that means it is a course reserve material and may have restrictions on borrowing. Visit the main circulation desk if you want to use a book on reserve.

If a book is located at the Library Service Center, that means it's currently housed in an offsite location but is still available to be checked out. Click Request and the book will be brought onto campus for you.

IBE Historical Textbook Collection

From the UNESCO International Bureau of Education. Over 20,000 textbooks from 140 countries, published as early as the 1700s. Many titles are digitized and available to the public.

Harvard University's Gutman Historical Textbooks Collection

Over 14,000 digitized historical textbooks available to the public. 

University of Pittsburgh's 19th Century Schoolbooks Collection

Over 100 textbooks published in the 1800s, digitized and available to the public.

UNC's Documenting the American South Textbook Collection

17 digitized textbooks published in the 1800s and used in the Confederate states.

Can't find the book you need in UNC's collections? You can search the collections at Duke, NC State, and NCSU in our catalog and request physical books from them.

You can limit your search to ebooks only, or to specific libraries on the UNC campus.

Filters are your friends! They can help you narrow your search easily and quickly. Scroll down on any page in the catalog to see the full list of filters.