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. See sceenshot below.
Title Search - Enter the title in the search box and click on "Search"
Author Search: Enter the author's name in the search box and click on "Search". Books bu=y the author will usually show up first.
When searching by keyword use "and" to combine your search terms for more precise results.
Example: Harlem Renaissance and literature
African Americans and anthology and poems
You can combine as many terms as you wish using "and" but the more terms you use the less results you will get.
Use "or" to expand or broaden your search. "Or" is generally used with synonyms.
Example: African American novelists or poets
You can combine as many terms as you wish using "or" and the more terms you combine the greater your results will be.
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.
For the most part, basic searches will retrieve the results you need. Use Advanced Search for more search options to limit or focus your search. Advanced Search presents limiters and expanders to help refine your search. The advanced search option, for instance, allows you to combine multiple search terms with "and" or "or" for more effective searches.
Example: African American literature and (racism or slavery)
The advanced search option allows you to limit your search by date, by format, and by by language. You can also limit your search by material type, by language, and by date.
To request a book from another library in the CSCU consortium, you must search the CSCU consortium by selecting "CT State Colleges and Universities" from the pull-down menu in the search box as the default is to search "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". Check to see that the pick-up institution is Southern Connecticut State University and the library is Hilton C. Library. Click on request to complete the transaction. You will be notified by email when the book is here and you can pick up your book at the Check-out Desk.
Several IT printers on the first floor allow you to scan books or documents. There is a printer located by the IT Help Desk and another printer near the reference stacks. Scanning to your email is free. Copying and printing is 5 cents for a single side black and white page and 8 cents for a double-side page. Color printing is 25 cents for a single page and 40 cents for a double-side page. Assistance with scanning using the IT printers is provided by the IT Help Desk on the first floor.
A book scanner is available 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 Desk on the first floor.
Circulating books are checked out at the Check-out Counter 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.
Call numbers indicate where in the library books are shelved:
Here's a floorplan indicating where materials are shelved on each floor of the library.