Finding a Book
Journal articles are often in-depth discussions of a very specific topic, and sometimes you want a more comprehensive perspective, or a reference work covering a topic, or an introductory-level text. This is where good academic books come in handy! UBC Library has an excellent range of books ranging from broad-ranging introductions to expert treatises. UBC's collection contains both print books, which can be accessed in library locations or requested from storage, and eBooks, which can be accessed online.
- UBC has an in-depth Finding Books guide that covers many aspects of finding and using academic books!
- If you are a community user looking to access UBC's eBook collections, check out this guide on guest access offered at UBC library locations.
Books as Search Results
When you're looking for a book specifically, there are a few ways to do this!
- Search the catalogue of Books & Media using this page, or by selecting the "Books & Media" tab on the Library Homepage; the catalogue contains specific items like books, DVDs, and entire journal titles rather than individual journal articles.
- Use Summon/General search (the default search described above), and then find the second filter category on the left called "Content Type" to select "Book / eBook"
- If you would like to find eBooks specifically, you can select "Full Text Online," the very first filter option under "Refine Your Search," to only see eBooks.
- If you want to look within a particular library, you can scroll down and expand the "Library Location" filter options. Selecting one of these will exclude eBooks unless you also select the "Online" location. Individual library locations or "branches" have different topical collecting areas, which you can learn more about in this video. To see a list of UBC's library locations and their hours, go to the Hours & Locations page.
What Kinds of Books?
- Searching a topic with the keyword "introduction"
- Searching a topic with the keyword encyclopedia
Many of UBC Library's books and other resources are electronic and can be accessed easily by clicking a link.
Print books are kept on the library shelves, called stacks. There are many benefits to visiting the stacks: browsing the shelves can give you ideas and inspiration for your research, the library offers a quiet and comfortable studying space, and librarians are always present to help if you get stuck.
The incredible number of print materials at UBC Library may seem overwhelming and difficult to navigate. However, as the infographic below explains, it is relatively easy to find the location of materials you find in Summon or the catalog by noting a few key pieces of information. The same information is also attached in a Microsoft Word document. And, if you get stuck, a librarian will be happy to lend a hand.
How to Read Call Numbers from UBC Library
For a text version of this information see: Finding Books at UBC Library.
Selected Reference Books - Literature
The Cambridge Companion to the Spanish Novel by The Cambridge Companion to the Spanish Novel presents the development of the modern Spanish novel from 1600 to the present. Topics covered include the regional novel, women writers, and film and literature. This companionable survey, which includes a chronology and guide to further reading, conveys a vivid sense of the innovative techniques of the Spanish novel and of the debates surrounding it.
The Cambridge Companion to the Latin American Novel by This Companion offers a broad overview of the novel's history and analyses in depth several representative works by, for example, Gabriel Garca Mrquez, Machado de Assis, Isabel Allende and Mario Vargas Llosa. Indispensable to students of Latin American or Hispanic studies and those interested in comparative literature and the development of the novel as genre, the Companion features a comprehensive bibliography and chronology and concludes with an essay about the success of Latin American novels in translation.
Encyclopedia of Latin American Literature (1997)A comprehensive, encyclopedic guide to the authors, works, and topics crucial to the literature of Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture by ISBN: 9780203014387Publication Date: 2002-03-11Some 750 alphabetically-arranged entries provide insights into recent cultural and political developments within Spain, including the cultures of Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque country. Coverage spans from the end of the Civil War in 1939 to the present day, with emphasis on the changes following the demise of the Franco dictatorship in 1975. Entries range from shorter, factual articles to longer overview essays offering in-depth treatment of major issues. Culture is defined in its broadest sense. Entries include: *Antonio Gaudí * science * Antonio Banderas * golf * dance * education * politics * racism * urbanization This Encyclopedia is essential reading for anyone interested in Spanish culture. It provides essential cultural context for students of Spanish, European History, Comparative European Studies and Cultural Studies.
The Ashgate Research Companion to Early Modern Spanish Women Writers by In Spain, the two hundred years that elapsed between the beginning of the early modern period and the final years of the Habsburg Empire saw a profusion of works written by women. The Routledge Research Companion to Early Modern Spanish Women Writers covers the broad array of different kinds of writings - literary as well as extra-literary - that these women wrote, taking into consideration their subject positions and the cultural and historical contexts that influenced and were influenced by them.
Selected Reference Books - Language
Enciclopedia de Lingüística Hispánica by ISBN: 9781138941380Publication Date: 2015Provides comprehensive coverage of the major and subsidiary fields of Hispanic Linguistics. Part 1 covers linguistic disciplines, approaches and methodologies. Part 2 includes several aspects of the grammar of Spanish, covering its phonological, morphosyntactic and semantic components. Part 3 brings together the historical, social, psychological and applied factors in the evolution and distribution of Spanish.
The Handbook of Hispanic Linguistics by Publication Date: 2012Explores all facets relating to the origins, evolution, and geographical variations of the Spanish language Examines topics including second language learning, Spanish in the classroom, immigration, heritage languages, and bilingualism
Spanish literature and language call numbers
How to find books at UBC Library
Libraries use classification systems to organize the books on the shelves. A classification system uses letters and/or numbers (call numbers) to arrange the books so that books on the same topic are together. Books at UBC Library are shelved using the Library of Congress Classification System.
Romance Languages are shelved in the subclass PC. Here are the call number ranges:
PC3801-3976 Catalan
PC4001-4977 Spanish
PC5001-5498 Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese Literature is shelved in the subclass PQ:
PQ6001-8929 Spanish literature
Subsections include:
PQ6001-6168 History and criticism
PQ6058-6060 Early to 1500
PQ(6061)-6073 Modern
PQ6075-6098 Poetry
PQ6098.7-6129 Drama
PQ6131-6153 Prose
PQ7081-8560 Spanish America