International Students' Resource Guide

To find books in the Library, you will need to search the catalogue. Go to the Library's homepage enter your search in the box.

If you are looking for materials to help you learn English, here are some suggested topics:

The Patrick Power Library uses Library of Congress (LC) call numbers to arrange books and other materials on library shelves.

The call number consists of a series of letters and numbers and represents the subject of the book. Call numbers are found on the spines of books and in the catalogue.

This is how call numbers appear on books (read from top to bottom and left to right):

This is how call numbers appear in the catalogue:
PR 4001 A32 Z75

Please read the Library's instructional guides about call numbers and library locations for more information on finding books in the Patrick Power Library.

Did you know that in addition to our print collection, the library also has many thousands of e-books, including scholarly books, on a wide range of topics? You can find both e-books and print books via searching the Novanet catalogue. All of our e-books are listed in the catalogue. You can also search for e-books directly in one of our e-book databases. There are several options for accessing and downloading e-books. As a SMU student, staff, or faculty member, you have complete access to e-books on and off campus.

• Many of the books listed in the Library's catalogue are available as e-books or electronic books.
• E-books are books published in a digital format and accessed through a computer or a hand-held device. Many can be downloaded to your device. 
• The Library subscribes to thousands of electronic books, which may be viewed at any time, either on or off-campus. If accessing an e-book from off-campus, you may be prompted to login using your SMU email and password.

Example of an e-book listed in the Library's catalogue:

 You can access e-books via the catalogue by selecting the book's title to display the full record. Then, click the "full text availability" link under the View Online heading.

Is there a book or an article you need that is not available at Saint Mary's? Learn how to get material from other libraries.