How do I find books?

Books and other materials can be found using the Vanderbilt University Libraries' online catalog called ACORN. It lists all the materials and their locations in all the libraries and special collections. You will find a search box for ACORN at the top of this page, whcih should save you a step or two. The following are basic searches:

To Find a Book by Author

You can find books written by an author by typing in their last name followed by their first initial, and then choosing the Author (last name first) search option from the drop-down menu and click on GO.

For example: If you are looking for books by Philip Kotler, you would type in Kotler, P then choose Author (last name first) from the drop-down menu.

To Find a Book by Title

You can search by a keyword in the book title by typing in the keyword or phrase in the ACORN search box then choosing the Title keyword search option from the drop-down menu and click on GO.

For example: If you were looking for books on Brand Management, you would type in brand management then choose Title keyword from the drop-down menu.

This would retrieve all the books with the phrase Brand Management in the title. It would not retrieve all books that might be about the subject Brand Management.

If you know the exact title of a book or the first few words, enter the title and then choose the search option Title begins with from the drop-down menu and click on GO.

For example: If you were search for the book Niche Envy: Marketing Discrimination in the Digital Age you would only need to type in Niche Envy and choose the search option Title Begins with from the drop-down menu.

Tip: When searching for books, please omit the first article. Leave out The, A and An when they are the first word of the title.

You Found Your Book in ACORN - Now What?

Step 1

After you enter your search and click on GO, you will be taken to a list of subjects, titles or authors; and in some cases a single author or the exact title you were searching for.

Step 2

If your search results, took you to the exact title you were searching for you would then click on that title and it will take you to the record in ACORN that tells you how to find the book.

Step 3

For most records there will be two tabs at the top. You can click on Summary/Contents if you wish to view brief information about the book to decide if you wish to go find it in the libraries.

To find out where to find the book, click on the Item Information tab at the top and look for the section of the record that says Call Number, Holdings and Locations. This will sometimes appear at the bottom of the screen or sometimes you will need to click on the link.

Call Numbers: The Call Number is like an address. Each book has a unique call number and together with location information it will tell you exactly where the book is shelved. It is important to write down the exact call number.

Holdings: Holdings will indicate which library has the book and how many copies and/or editions of the book the library owns.

Location: Location will tell you where in the library the book is located. Locations include Stacks (second floor compact shelving area in Walker); Reserve; Checked Out (someone else has the book); Annex; On Order and other designations.

Step 4

It is very useful to print out the item record in ACORN to take with you to find the book. Having the print out will also assist librarians and staff in helping you find the book if it isn’t on the shelf.

Can’t find what you need?

If you don’t find what you are looking for in ACORN, please consult a librarian who will double-check for you and/or show you how you can request books and materials from non-Vanderbilt libraries.

Additional Information

• Use of these databases implies acceptance of our Copyright and Licensing Restrictions.
• Need help accessing a resource from off-campus? Take a look at the Troubleshooting Tips page.
• Don't know where to begin? Check out the How do I begin my research? page for information on how to get started researching various topics and use citation information.
• Do you know the name of a database that you'd like to use? Use Databases (A-Z) to locate a known resource and get more information.
• Librarians have created Research Guides (A-Z) on various subjects to help guide you to helpful business or career resources.
• Additional databases are also available through the Jean & Alexander Heard Library.
• Want to browse electronic journals? Check out the E-Journals (A-Z).

Need help? Ask a Librarian for more assistance.