Ask yourself some of the following questions:
Who is the author and is s/he an expert? Read the book jacket or information often located in the beginning or end of the book. Try Google or Amazon to see what else the author might have written and to check his affiliation. Check the online catalog to see if the library has other items written by the author.
Who is the publisher? Do they have a specialty? University presses, some societies, and some associations usually publish academic titles, but some other publishers do as well. Visit their website to see their focus.
Is there a bibliography, references or footnotes?
What is the language of the book? Is it technical or is it for the general public.
Is it well-organized with a clear structure? Does it have a preface, a table of contents, an introduction, an index?
To find books and AV materials at Albright, check our CataLION (Online Public Access Catalog).
cataLION search tips:
Access to the library's print collection is limited. However, if you need an item, you can either place a hold in the online catalog or email the Library Reference Desk at libraryref@albright.edu with the book information including the call number and the last possible date when you can use it. We will collect these requests and whenever we get access to the library, we will bring the to the Computing and Math building. We will notify you when the item(s) are available for checkout.
