When searching our online catalog, Koha, be sure to utilize the Advanced Search option since it allows you to search using different criteria such as subject, author or keyword, as well as choose a specific format such as eBook (electronic book). Try a catalog search in the box below.
An example of a subject heading search in the online catalog would include typing one of the subject headings listed below in the empty text box next to the subject field. Examples of subject headings:
African-American History
African-American Literature
African-American Culture
Please note, if you want information on a specific African-American topic, below are sample subject headings for those.
African-American Artists
African-American Physicians
Famous African-Americans
African-American Scientists
African-American Poetry
When browsing the rows of books you will notice that the Library organizes its collection with the Dewey Decimal Classification system (DDC). The call numbers located on the spine of the book coordinate with the call numbers listed in the online catalog and indicates the area where the book is located in the rows.
Each number in the DDC represents predefined subjects and the books for this subject are located in the areas. Popular call numbers are highlight below.
323.0 Civil and Political Rights
326.0 Slavery and Emancipation
781-783 Jazz/Blues/Negro Spirituals
810.9896 African American Literature
After a search when viewing your search results, you might notice that some titles have an alpha character as part of their call number. These alpha characters signify which collection holds the item. Listed below are widely used examples:
B Biography collection
BLU Audio Visual collection
CD Audio Visual collection
DVD Audio Visual collection
J Juvenile collection
JB Juvenile Biography collection
H Special Collections
R Reference collection
YA Young Adult collection
Z Special Collections
Digital Media Zone (DMZ) eBooks offer thousands of free ebooks and audiobooks to choose from. Checkout 5 at a time for up to a two week checkout using your Kindle, iPad, iPod, Nook, Sony Reader, and many more devices. New titles added several times a month in partnership with 3 other north Alabama library systems. Visit any library branch to set up your library account which then gives you access to eBooks. Select the link or use the search or go straight to dmz.hmcpl.org.