Shakespeare and His Contemporaries

Use SouthernSearch to locate information in our library. SouthernSearch provides simple, one-stop searching for books and e-books, videos, articles, digital media, and more.

Enter your search terms in the search box provided and click on Search. The default is to search "Everything at SCSU." You can click on the down arrow next to "Everything at SCSU" for other choices such as SCSU Catalog and Collections, Articles and e-books, Course Reserves, and CT State Colleges and Universities.

Use Advanced Search for more search options to limit or focus your search.

Searches will retrieve articles and other materials as well as books. To limit your search to books, use the options on the left after you receive the initial results.

Subject Search
Use Advanced Search to search by  title, author, or subject. A subject search uses the Library of Congress subject headings. Here are some subject headings for finding information on Shakespeare and his contemporaries:

English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600 -- History and criticism
English drama -- 17th century
English drama -- 17th century -- History and criticism
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Contemporaries
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Dramatic production
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Film adaptations
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Poetic works
Sonnets Shakespeare William 1564 1616

You can also search by subject for a specific writer by entering the last name of the author first, then the first name.
Example:      Shakespeare, William
                     Marlowe, Christopher

Title Search
You can search for information on specific plays or the plays themselves by doing a title search and entering the title of the work.

Keyword Search
Use keyword search for more focused and precise searches.
Combine search terms with "and" to narrow your search. Combining search terms with "and" retrieves results that contain all your search terms.
Example: Shakespeare and Elizabethan stage
                 Shakespeare and contemporaries and drama
                 Shakespeare and religion                                  

Or you can combine search terms with "or" to broaden your search. "Or" helps retrieve any or all of the words in your search.
Example: Shakespeare or Ben Jonson
                 Elizabethan stage or Jacobean stage
                 Shakespeare and (plays or drama or sonnets)

Call numbers indicate where in the library books are shelved:

• A-PL: 2nd floor.
• PM-Z: 3d floor.
• REF: Reference section on the 1st floor of Buley Library. 
• Media Collection: 1st floor, just past the big staircase.
• JUV and CURR: ground floor.
• Oversize books and the thesis collection: 3d floor.

Here's a floorplan indicating where materials are shelved on each floor of the library.

Circulating books are checked out at the Check-out desk on the main floor with a valid SCSU ID. Books can be checked out for 28 days with the option to have them renewed if no one else has requested them. Reference books cannot be checked out.

Ground floor: On the ground floor of the library. Users can scan to a flash drive for free. You cannot print from the book scanner. Assistance with scanning using the book scanner is provided by the Research & Information Desk on the first floor.

From another CSCU library:

• If another library in the CSCU System has a book that is not in Buley, you can request it through SouthernSearch.
• Select  CT State Colleges and Universities from the pulldown menu that says Everything at SCSU.
• Enter your search terms and execute your search.
• Once the results list appears, you need to sign in to your library account to see which library has the book. You will see the name of the library that has the book and "available" if the book is available to be loaned.
• Click on "available" and you will see more information about the book and option to "request" the book.
• Click on "Request" and then select Southern Connecticut State University from the Pick-up institution list. (The Pick-up list defaults to the institution that has the book so you will need to click on the down arrow and select Southern Connecticut State University from that list).

From anywhere else:

If a book is not available from any library in the CSCU System, you can use Interlibrary Loan to request it. The book will be sent to Buley. Ask for the book at the Check Out desk when you receive an email telling you it has arrived. Please call 203 392-7038 for assistance.