• Home
• Information Resources
• Research Assistance
• Library Services
• Library Catalog
• About the Library

 I. Library Homepage: http://library.ramapo.edu

• Provides access to the catalog (OPAC), databases, interlibrary loan forms, etc.

II. Finding Books at the Potter Library

• Catalog: use this to find books, journal titles NOT ARTICLES, government documents, reserve items, music,and movies owned by the Library. You may limit a search by language, year(s) of publication, type of material, etc. This may take a few seconds to load.

• Search the catalog using Keywords to find material
  • For example: search for avante-garde and art to locate a broad range of materials the library has on those keywords

OR

• Search the catalog using Subject Browse feature ONLY if you know the Library of Congress Subject Headings

• For example:

Avant-Garde (Aesthetics)

Avant-Garde (Aesthetics) Exhibitions

• If you don't know the Subject Heading, use the Related Records tab located on the top of a catalog record to get to the headings.

Tips

1. Start with broad searches. It is much easier to discard too much rather than start with too little.
2. If you don't know the Subject Heading, use the Related Records tab located on the top of a catalog record to get to the headings. This will help you focus in on more relevant material.
3. Can "virtually" browse the shelves by clicking on the call number in a record.

III. Reference Material

• The reference stacks are located on the 3rd floor (this is also the library's entrance).
• Some useful materials for your projects:

International dictionary of art and artists	Ref N7425 .I61
Art in Time	Ref N7525 .H38
Artists' and illustrators' encyclopedia	Ref N33 .Q5
The Oxford companion to art	Ref N33.09
Architecture & arts, 1900/2004	Ref NA680 .A567
The Yale dictionary of art and artists	Ref N33. L353

Tips

1. Use Reference books for background information.
2. Use the reference sources for further information. Check book citations through the Catalog and use Journal Finder to look up article references.

IV. Electronic Resources

• Some useful Databases for your projects:

Both of these links can be found under QUICK LINKS on the library's homepage.

Tips

1. Always switch to the Advance Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
2. Always use Boolean Operators-AND, OR, NOT and Quotation Marks when running a search.
3. Always check your Spelling if the database results are Zero.
4. Use the Subject Terms or Thesaurus link, if available, to find the best terms to use in a database.

Use the Citing Websites and Print Sources for "Works Cited" citation style guidance.

Use Citing Sources for examples of "In-Text Citations" and "Works Cited".

VI. Using Web Sources

Use Evaluating Websites to determine if the site is authoritative enough to use in your paper.

Explore other Online Public Access Catalogs (OPAC) such as Columbia University's CLIO

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography, Cornell University.

Need more help? Visit or call the Reference Desk: 201.684.7574