ATTENTION:
Scheduled vendor maintenance will occur on Sunday, 5/24 from 10am to 12pm (AZ time), interrupting service to the eBook platform, Books24x7. The platform will be intermittently unavailable during this time. None of the Library's 280+ other resources will be impacted. For more information and access to alternative resources, visit the Library Status Guide .
The GCU Library's updated version of LopeCat, the library’s online catalog, is live! For more details on what has changed, visit the What's New Guide .
Interlibrary Loans: Before Requesting ILLs
Before Requesting ILLs
Before requesting an item through interlibrary loan check to see if the item is available in the Library or freely accessible on the Internet. Try searching LopeSearch and Find Journals by Title (for articles), LopeCat (for books and chapters), Doctoral Research Guide (for dissertations), and Google Scholar or Google (to see if the item is freely available online).
Tips and Techniques for Searching for Articles:
- Check LopeSearch: LopeSearch searches many Library databases at the same time. It's a quick and easy way to search the library for an article.
- Find Journals by Title:Use Find Journals by Title (Found on the "Find Journal Articles" page, to search for the journal in which the article is published. If we have it in the Library, you'll see it here!
- Watch your spelling! The database searches by the exact terms you enter, and is matching your words with keywords and title words in the articles. If you misspell a word, the database will search for that misspelled word and your results retrieved will be zero.
- Small phrases:If the title is very long, or contains a subtitle, try searching for just the beginning of the title. If you get too many results, put quotation marks around the title to search for that specific phrase.
- Google Scholar:Sometimes articles can be found freely available online. Google Scholar is a great place to find free articles! Search the title, and look for PDF, HTML, or Full Text links to the right of the title, in the search results.
Where Are All The Books?
The GCU Library collection focuses on ebooks to best meet the needs of all of our students.
To access our Book Collection
Click on Find Books & More from the Library Homepage , or from the Research & Resources menu in the navigation bar at the top of any library page.
From the Find Books & More page, you will have the option to search our book and media collections.
Type in the LopeCat search box to find a specific book title, author, or items related to your topic.
By clicking on one of our Electronic Book Collection databases, you will be able to search for books that are available to you electronically.
Search For Books
Search LopeCat, the GCU Library Catalog (opens in new tab).
Tips for Using the Book Catalog
The most relevant results are found using the author's name using this format:
Rogers, Carl
Keep in mind, you may only have the first initial of the author. For example: Rogers, Carl may appear only as Rogers, C.
To locate an exact title, enclose the title with a set of quotation marks as shown here:
"Casebook for a spiritual strategy in counseling and psychotherapy"
The most relevant results are found using this format:
psychotherapy OR therapy OR counseling
Or
"higher education" OR college OR university
Use multiple keywords to represent the same concept or try multiple combinations and alternatives!
Once you have found a relevant book, look under Subject for the subject headings. These are links that will search for other books with the same subject heading listed.
To locate only ebooks, after you have entered your search terms,
click the checkbox for " Online Book " under " Format" on the left side menu options.
- Print books can be checked out at the Library Information Desks. Don't live nearby? We can mail them to you!
- Most print books can be checked out for 3 weeks with an option to renew.
What if I don't live in the Phoenix, Arizona area?
- We will mail (using the US Postal Service) the books to you, FREE of charge. You may check them out for 3 weeks with an option to renew if you need them longer. A postage-paid return envelope will be included.
What if I can't wait for the mail delivery?
- Try WorldCat . This resource will allow you to search for books in libraries closest to your zip code.
- If you find your desired resources, check with that library for their circulation/checkout policies. Even if you cannot check the book out, you may be able to read the book at the library.
