Use the CCA Libraries Catalog to search for books, videos, CDs, periodical titles, CCA theses, and course reserves in the CCA libraries.

Finding Books

Use the CCA Library Catalog's Basic or Advanced Search pages.

Step 1: Perform a search

If you know the author, the exact title, or the call number of the item you want, use these categories to find out if it's in the library:

  • Author - enter the author's or artist's last name first, followed by the first name if known [e.g., Stokstad, Marilyn]
  • Title - enter all or a portion of the title, starting with the first words in their exact order [e.g., Short guide to writing about art, Art in America]
  • Call number - enter the exact call number if known or browse by Library of Congress classification [e.g., N7476 B36 2000 or PN]
  • Author/title - enter both as above to perform a more specific, narrow search [e.g., type McClure under author and Huge dreams under title] If you don't know the author or the exact title, or you don't have a specific work in mind, search by topical terms.
  • Keyword - Enter distinctive words that could be in the title, subject headings, contents notes, corporate names, etc. Words can be in any order [e.g. art writing guide, shaker furniture] Keyword search allows you to use the Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT and to truncate with an asterisk to retrieve multiple word forms.
    • visual AND culture will retrieve all records with words visual and culture
    • Soviet Union OR Russia will retrieve all records with either Soviet Union or Russia
    • writ* will retrieve all records that contain words write, writing, written etc.
  • Library of Congress (LC) Subject Heading - Enter the proper form of the Library of Congress Subject Heading [e.g., Art Mexican 20th Century; Gogh, Vincent van]

    NOTE: LC Subject Headings are terms in a thesaurus developed by the Library of Congress. Their structure and order is not always self-explanatory, so please ask a librarian if you need assistance. When you find a relevant item, note its LC Subject Headings and use them to find more items like it. To find material by and about artists, architects, and designers, search the name as a LC Subject Heading and as an Author and as a keyword. These three searches will retrieve different items.

Step 2: Check if the item is available and note it's location

    Note the following information:
  • Location - Which library has the item and where it is shelved, e.g. Oakland or SF Stacks, Oakland 2 HR Reserve, SF Audio/Visual, Oakland Folio, etc.
  • Call number - Write down the entire number so that you can find it on the shelves.
  • Status - Whether the item is available or not.
    • check shelf: it should be in the library and available for check out
    • due date: it's checked out, is/was due back on listed date
    • in transit: it's on its way from one library to the other
    • on order: it's been ordered, but not yet received
    • in process: it's been received, but not ready for borrowing
    • billed: the item is seriously overdue
    • in bindery: the item is damaged, awaiting repair or rebinding
    • library use only: it's in the library but may not be checked out

Step 3: Saving or exporting records

To save a list of records, check-mark the boxes and click "Save Marked Records." For a single record, just click the "Export" button. Then click "Export Saved List" and email the search results to yourself. This will allow you to reformat the results for bibliographies and other uses.

Finding Videos

Use the CCA Library Catalog Video Search page. You can also do an advanced search and limit your results to the material type for Video/DVD.

Finding CCA Theses

Go the CCA Libraries Theses page and search by student name or by program. You can also browse all of the theses using the dropdown menus for MFA and MA degree programs. Theses are library-use-only, ask for them at the circulation desk.

Searching for Course Reserves

Go to the CCA Libraries Course Reserves page or use the pull-down menu from the CCA Libraries Catalog Search Page to select one of the following.

  • Instructor's Name - enter last name first.
  • Course Name - enter the course title and/or number.

    • Course Reserves are shelved behind the circulation desks at Meyer and Simpson libraries, ask for them by the call number.

Limiting searches

First do a preliminary search. Then click the "Limit This Search" button. You may narrow your search results by year of publication, material type, language, publisher, or where the item is located.

Renewing your books

From the CCA Library homepage select "Renew Books" and login with your name and your CCA library barcode.