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History and Political Science Research Guide: Books

A research guide to access hard-copy and online resources. "We are all inseparable from our times. If you don't know history, it is as if you were born yesterday." Howard Zinn, Historian

Quick Search

    Find books, media, select articles and more:
      

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Search all EBSCO databases:

 See all PLNU Ryan Library Databases

Looking for the full-text of a specific article? Use the box to search for the title of the journal containing your article:



 

Accessing eBooks

Ryan Library provides access to not only print books, but over 180,000 ebooks. You can quickly limit your results in WorldCat, the library's catalog, by clicking the eBook box under Item Format on the left side a results list page (see the screenshot below). eBooks can be accessed anywhere you have internet connection. If Ryan Library does not have a book you'd like to borrow, you may request to borrow it from another library though InterLibrary Loan (ILL) (note: only print books are available through ILL). Email Robin Lang with questions.

Most of our ebooks are available through these three databases, which are integrated into the results of our catalog, WorldCat (be sure to limit Item Format to eBook; see screenshot above):

ProQuest eBook Central: Approximately 150,000 ebooks with unlimited, multi-user access, powerful research tools, and individual chapter downloads

EBSCO eBook Collection: This collection provides full-text access to hundreds of digital version of books on a variety of subjects.

Credo Reference: More than 700 dictionaries and encyclopedias; thousands of topic pages, mind-maps, images, audio files and videos to help you start research projects.

Helpful Call Numbers for Browsing Print Books

Ryan Library uses Dewey Decimal Classification. Use these call numbers to browse books in print. Books in the 200s are on the Lower Level books in the 320s are on the Middle Level, and books in the 900s are on the Upper Level. In addition to books in print, the Library provides over 180,000 ebooks (see the box below).

  • 266: Missions (missionary biographies/autobiographies)

    • 266.99: Nazarene Missionaries/Missions

  • 287: Methodists and Related churches

    • 287.99: Nazarene Church history

  • 270: Christian Church History

    • 274 Christian church in Europe

    • 275 Christian church in Asia

    • 276 Christian church in Africa

    • 277 Christian church in North America

    • 278 Christian church in South America

    • 279 Christian church in other areas

  • 320: Political Science

  • 350 Public administration and military science

  • 900: History

    • 920: History—Biography

      • 922: History—Biography—Theology (missionaries, theologians, and pastors)

Requesting Materials from Other Libraries

Use this option when requesting items that are not available at Ryan Library:

      InterLibrary Loan

  • Articles, books, and other materials can be requested from InterLibrary Loan.

***Ebooks are rarely available via InterLibrary Loan***      (Licensing restrictions limit the sharing of digital resources.)

  • Ebook chapters may be more readily obtained than the entire book. Keep this in mind when placing requests and be specific about chapters/page numbers when possible.
  • Books requested via InterLibrary Loan take a minimum of 7-10 business days to receive.
  • Loan periods and renewal availability vary depending on the participating libraries.
  • Overdue fines will apply.

Click Here for ILL Request Form

Please select either ARTICLE or BOOK when placing your request.

Google Books

Google Books provides full to partial access to some books. Google Books is a good place to look for digitized copies of older books published before 1924, which means they're in the public domain and no longer under copyright. 

Google Book Search