Directions:

Location:

Mary Church Terrell Main Library
148 W College St. Oberlin, OH 44074-1545

Parking:

The main visitor lot is the east Service Building lot, and the south row of the Carnegie Building lot for visitors to offices within that building.

Search Tools

Summon

Summon provides access to millions of sources of all types (books, articles, audio, videos, images, etc.) on nearly any subject. Summon searches many, but not all, Oberlin College Libraries resources; comprehensive research should include subject databases. It searches the full text of some, but not all, Oberlin books, including books that Oberlin only owns in print.

If you are looking for a specific book, film, or journal, use OBIS, our catalog. If you are looking for a specific journal article, use the Journal Finder. Summon also includes the collection of the Allen Memorial Art Museum as well as materials from other research centers and open access repositories.

Databases A-Z

The Databases A-Z list provides a complete alphabetical list of searchable databases accessible to you through the Oberlin College Libraries. The databases range from those that cover multiple subject areas, e.g. JSTOR or Web of Science, to more narrow research topics, e.g. SOCIndex.

They contain both citations and full text for ebooks, peer reviewed journals, newspapers, magazines, data sets, images, music, primary documents, and more. You will want to use them for finding credible and scholarly materials required for your college research.

If you are unsure which databases are best for your research topic try using the subject and type filters, consult a subject or course guide, Ask a Librarian or make a research appointment.

OBIS Catalog

OBIS provides access to print and digital books, databases, audiovisual materials, journals, and course reserves. It is the best place to look up books, recordings, journals and films by title to determine if you can access an item through Oberlin. To see if Oberlin has access to an individual article, use the journal list. OBIS makes it easier to search by subject heading than Summon does, but it does not index the full-text of any books.

In addition to books available at Oberlin through OBIS, patrons also have access to collections from a number of public, university, and college libraries in the state of Ohio through Oberlin College’s partnership with the OhioLink consortium and SearchOhio.

Journal Finder

The Oberlin College Libraries subscribe to many journals, newspapers, and magazines directly, and have access to many more through database platforms from providers including EBSCO, ProQuest, JSTOR, and many others.

The Journal Finder lists in one place every print and e-journal available through both paid subscriptions and reputable open access platforms. Use the Journal Finder to track down a journal, to see if it’s available online, or to compare access across databases or subscription services.

The Journal Finder will not allow you to search by article title to determine if Oberlin owns an item - you must use the full citation, including journal, magazine, or newspaper title and publication date to determine if Oberlin has access to an article.

OhioLINK Catalog

A virtual statewide library that displays information for items owned by OhioLINK libraries, a consortium of over 100 college, university and research libraries in Ohio. Items described include books, journals and periodicals, audiovisual materials, sound recordings, electronic resources, government documents, archives and manuscripts, maps and music scores.

The catalog provides bibliographic descriptions and indicates where copies are located and whether or not copies are available. The OhioLINK Central Catalog allows for delivery of requested items to a member library of your choice. Terrell Main Library is Oberlin’s pickup location for OhioLINK items. OhioLINK's design allows you to transfer a search from our local library catalog, OBIS, to the OhioLINK combined catalog with the touch of a button. Likewise, a search can just as easily transfer from OhioLINK or OBIS to the public library network Search Ohio.

WorldCat

WorldCat contains more than 43 million records describing books and other items owned by libraries around the world. You can search for popular books, music CDs and videos—all of the physical items you're used to getting from libraries. You can also discover digital content, such as downloadable audiobooks. Use InterLibrary Loan to order materials that you locate on Worldcat.

Research Guides

Subject Guides

Research guides are the gateway to library collections and resources. Created and maintained by Oberlin College & Conservatory reference and subject librarians, Guides by Subject are organized by their relevant subject areas to provide a detailed list of recommended scholarly sources, including: databases; internet and digital resources; and the libraries’ collections of books, journals, magazines, music, art, DVDs, etc.

Guides also help you develop search strategies, cite sources and manage bibliographic references, and lead to a librarian who can provide further assistance. Subject guides are displayed alphabetically.

Source Type Guides

Oberlin College librarians have identified the best platforms for finding resources by source type, including newspapers, magazines, dissertations and theses, books, music, primary sources and more. Some guides also provide search tips and techniques.

Course Guides

Course Guides are organized collections of resources created for the research and information needs of students in specific courses. Research strategies and library services are also included.

News

Here are the latest news items from the Oberlin College Libraries. Also watch our social media channels for updates about our resources, services and programs.

Wood engraving of Keyes D. Metcalf by Eric May

May 24, 2022

Celebrating Our 2022 Graduating Student Employees

Above image: Wood engraving of Keyes D. Metcalf by Eric May The end of the spring semester is approaching, which sadly means we will soon have to say goodbye to our graduating student employees. The support these hard-working students provide helps us maintain our outstanding services for the Oberlin Community. Today we will... Continue Reading

Illustration of two people handing books to one another

May 14, 2022

SWAP Co-Op Book Drive: May 14-28

SWAP Book Co-Op is having a donation drive May 14-28! Want to donate your class-required books so others can use them next semester? Here's how:1. Find bins in ANY campus library2. Come to Book SWAP from 2-4pm on Saturdays in the Tank Basement Continue Reading

May 10, 2022

Hearing Homophony, or, How to Listen to the Future

Megan Kaes Long, Associate Professor of Music Theory, Oberlin College & Conservatory Presented by the Friends of the Oberlin College Libraries Friday, May 20, 2022 | 4:30 PMStudioc, 38 E College St., Oberlin, OH 44074Free and open to the publicMasks required indoorsLive transcription / captioning will be availableThe... Continue Reading

May 10, 2022

Tiny Ref Desk Concert, The Singing Crows @ noon May 13

Come hear some music. Amina Knapp & Max Ball (Violins). Felix Veser (Viola), and Daniel Knapp (Cello) will play Ligeti String Quartet No. 1 “Metamorphoses Nocturnes” and Selections from The Danish String Quartet's "Woodworks and Last Leaf" at noon on Friday, May 13 at the Reference desk in the Conservatory... Continue Reading

May 03, 2022

Open Access Publishing Opportunities with Cambridge & Wiley

Thanks to OhioLINK, Oberlin faculty who are submitting articles to journals at Cambridge University Press or Wiley may choose the open access model at no expense. These deals are in effect through 2024 and 2023 respectively. Feel free to contact Academic Engagement & Digital Initiatives Coordinator Megan Mitchell... Continue Reading

April 29, 2022

Evolution of a Digital Art Resource: The Cranach Digital Archive

Join us for the 2022 Jantz Memorial Lecture given by Dr. Gunnar Heydenreich, director of the Cranach Digital Archive (CDA). CDA provides free online access to the art of German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), his sons, and their workshop.Using digital techniques to reveal physical details of... Continue Reading

Image of a film projector projecting a still of a National Park

April 19, 2022

Celebrate National Park Week! Film Viewing in the Science Library

This Thursday, April 21 at 7pm, join the science library staff for a viewing of Our Great National Parks narrated by former President Barack Obama. See the trailer for this five-part docuseries at www.netflix.com/title/81086133. Attendance is limited to 30. Location: computer classroom, Science Library (N181 Science Center).... Continue Reading

April 18, 2022

Tiny Ref Desk Concert @ noon, 4/28, with Quintessence

Vist the Oberlin Conservatory Library at 12 noon (ET), April 28, 2022, either in person on Instagram @obieconlib, for a Tiny Ref Desk concert with the Quintessence woodwinds and horn quintet. Quintessence: Ben Smith, Flute; Jon Kronheimer, Oboe; Katelyn Poetker, Clarinet; Oved Rico, Horn; AJ Neubert, Bassoon Program: Wind... Continue Reading

Photo of a man and child examining a flower. Image credit: Citizen Science Month webpage

April 16, 2022

Contribute! Anyone can be a citizen scientist during Citizen Science Month!

April is both Earth Month and Citizen Science Month - a great time to contribute to our understanding of life on Earth by identifying plants and animals around us. It's a lot of fun using the app iNaturalist. The Science Library has been using iNaturalist for a few years, under the name "obiescilib." Try it, or get involved in... Continue Reading

April 15, 2022

Library Tours

Have questions about the library? Feel like you don't understand our services or collections? Take a library tour, offered monthly at each branch (Terrell, Art, Conservatory, Science, Archives & Special Collections. Register Continue Reading

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Learn More About Our Libraries

Source Type Guides ? Oberlin College librarians have identified the best platforms for finding resources by source type, including newspapers, magazines, dissertations and theses, books, music, primary sources and more. Some guides also provide search tips and techniques.

Course Guides ? Course Guides are organized collections of resources created for the research and information needs of students in specific courses. Research strategies and library services are also included.

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Source Type Guides

Oberlin College librarians have identified the best platforms for finding resources by source type, including newspapers, magazines, dissertations and theses, books, music, primary sources and more. Some guides also provide search tips and techniques.

Course Guides

Course Guides are organized collections of resources created for the research and information needs of students in specific courses. Research strategies and library services are also included.