Geology Subject Guide

To start a book search, click on the "Magenta Search" box on the library's main page: 

It will take you to Magenta Search, where you can easily find books and eBooks in our catalog, as well as books and eBooks in OhioLink.

To get the best results, make sure you log into Magenta Search using your Microsoft 365 credentials on the upper right side of the webpage.

• Type your search terms into the search bar and choose "Muskingum Catalog" from the drop-down menu and click the magnifying glass to initiate the search. For more detailed search, use "Advanced Search" to the right of the magnifying glass.

• If a book is available in our library, it will say "Available at Roberta A Smith Library Stacks" with a call number after it.

Use that call number to find the book on the shelf, or ask for help at the Welcome Center. Further instructions are found in the "Finding Books on the Shelves" section, below.

• If a book is an eBook, it will say "Available Online." Simply click on the link and you will be taken to the View Online section of the page, where you can then click on the link to the eBook. Below is just an example--the resources will change depending on the book's supplier.

• If you want to further refine your search, use the limiters on the left side of the page.

If you cannot find suitable resources through the Muskingum Catalog, you can easily do the same search by selecting the "OhioLINK Catalog" from the search bar at the top. Further instructions are found in the "OhioLINK Catalog" guide, available just below this guide on the left side of the page.

Please don't hesitate to use the library's chat function for assistance. You can also ask for help at the library's Welcome Center.

How do you find books on our shelves? Look for the location and the call number.

The location tells you where in the library the book is located. Some of the most common locations you'll see are:

• Muskingum Stacks - The main book collection, located on the bottom and main floors.
• Muskingum Juvenile Collection - Upstairs in the Pingledis Family Children's Library on the second floor

Call numbers tell you where the book is located, as well as what it's about. The Muskingum University Library uses Library of Congress call numbers.

Be sure to look at the books shelved around the one you want. They're shelved by subject, so you may find a great book that way.

Parts of a call number

Putting them in order