OneSearch is a great place to start your research, as it searches almost everything the Library owns, including books and ebooks.
Within OneSearch, you can find:
OneSearch can search many, but not all, of our resources at the same time.
Start at the Library homepage.
Type the title or topic you're looking for into the search box. If necessary, select "Limit to: Books."
Look at the results and get the section and call number of the book.
Make sure the author(s) match the book you require.
What you do next depends on the section:
Stacks: Find the book on the shelf using the guide to the right, or ask a librarian for help.
Reserves: Bring the call number to the Reserve Desk to check out the book for 3 hours at a time.
Reference: These resources are found on the Upper Level of the Library and can only be used in the Library.
You also can search by ISBN in OneSearch's Advanced Search by selecting ISBN from the "Any Field" dropdown menu.
If you can't find the book in OneSearch, select the "John Jay + CUNY Libraries" option at the top of the page to see if it is owned by another CUNY Library. If so, you can try requesting the book via CLICS, the CUNY-wide book delivery service. If the book is not held by any CUNY Library, please check one of the many other libraries in New York.
When for searching for print books in OneSearch, note the call number and location.
Stacks: The main circulating collection of the Library. On the north side of the Library: Call numbers A–H are on the upper level; Call numbers J–Z are on the lower level.
Reserve: Reserve materials are kept behind the Reserve Desk on the lower floor. Most can be used only within the Library.
Reference: Found on the upper level, towards 11th avenue. These materials are non-circulating and cannot be taken outside of the Library.
Special Collections: Found on the upper level of the library. Non-circulating.
Law Reference: Found on the upper level, towards 58th street and are non-circulating.
Browsing Collection: Past the Niederhoffer Lounge on the lower level.
Example:
First, look for the letters on the top line:
HA
Then look at the whole number on the next line:
1625
Then look at the letter(s) after the dot:
O
Then look at the decimal number:
87
Last, you will see the year the book was published:
1999
Read the number before the dot as a whole number. Read the numbers after the dot as decimals.
The four books above are in the correct order. In the Library of Congress Classification system, the letter "H" indicates the social sciences class.
"HA" is the subclass for statistics. "HQ" is the subclass for family, marriage, and women. "HV" is the subclass for social pathology, social and public welfare, and criminology.