To find BOOKS, you have several options beyond the "Books & Media" tab found on the MU Libraries homepage:
MERLIN : Use the MERLIN Catalog to find books at MU and the other campuses of the University of Missouri. If we don't have the book here at MU or if our copy is checked out, you can request it from another UM library by searching ALL MERLIN.
MOBIUS: If the book you need is not available through MERLIN, you can request it from MOBIUS, a statewide network of Missouri college and university libraries.
ILL (Interlibrary Loan): If the book you need is not available through MERLIN or MOBIUS, you can request it via Interlibrary Loan or WorldCAT, an international catalog containing over 95 million records of books and other materials held in libraries worldwide.
If you are trying to track down a specific policy, law, or the background ( legislative history) of a law, there are several good options depending what you are trying to find. These resources additionally provide opposing arguments to current issues and policies:
Indexes and provides full text access to government information dating to 1789. Content is sourced mainly from Congress and its committees, but some executive branch reports to Congress are also included. Document types include hearings, congressional committee prints, House and Senate documents and reports, Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and more. For a complete description of ProQuest Congressional contents, coverage, and update frequency, consult the Content Coverage Chart on the database’s main search screen.
Contains in-depth, analytical reporting on the most current and controversial issues. Provides extensive background information and discussion of the pro’s and con’s.
Sometimes it is useful to get an overview of a topic before beginning your research in order to find a starting point. These resources will help you look into the background of your topic.
Gale Virtual Reference Library is an online collection of dozens of encyclopedias, handbooks, and guides. Type in your search term, or the title of a publication. Here are a few potential W&GS sources available through Gale Virtual Reference, accumulated as a sampling of sources from "History" "Literature" and "Social Sciences:"
Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered History in America
American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times
Present
Feminism in Literature: A Gale Critical Companion
Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Men and Women in the World's Cultures
Cambridge Guide to Women's Writing in English
Other reference materials can be found through the encyclopedias located in the Reference Database List.
Further background information can be found in individual articles through searching for terms such as "women AND gender," or feminism. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of W&GS, these articles may be found within reference materials for religion, history, philosophy, sociology, health, and many more.
Why use Google Books?
Google Books searches the full-text of books. It lets you search within the text of books--you can see the table of contents, index or a portion of the contents of the book. You can then locate the book in a nearby library.
