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.

February 02, 2023

Oberlin Heritage Center Strategic Planning Public Forums

Help OHC Make History! The Oberlin Heritage Center is starting to craft its next strategic plan and we want your help looking at our past, present, and future! We want to hear how OHC is (or is not) serving you and the community, what else we should try, what histories interest you, and what we can do better. All are welcome... Continue Reading

January 04, 2023

2023 Frederick B. Artz Summer Research Grants Program Open for Applicants

The Oberlin College Archives are excited to welcome applicants for the 2023 Frederick B. Artz Summer Research Grants Program. Established in 1990 in honor of former Oberlin College history professor Frederick B. Artz (OC 1916), this program provides an opportunity for researchers to use the archives and special collections for... Continue Reading

December 15, 2022

OhioLink Service Disruption 12/18

All OhioLINK platforms and services will experience one or more periods of downtime on Sunday, December 18, 2022 between noon and 7pm. During this timeframe, OhioLink expects several brief service disruptions affecting one platform/service at a time and one longer period of downtime that may last up to 90 minutes affecting all... Continue Reading

December 09, 2022

Human Rights Day Playlist

For Human Rights Day (December 10th) Docuseek, a steaming service available to Obies that offers essential independent, social-issue and environmental films, created a playlist of 17 new releases relate to this year's theme — Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All. Below are a few examples of the films available on the... Continue Reading

Illustration of people playing jazz instruments

December 06, 2022

Jazzariah's

You may have noticed the addition of a piano to Azzariah’s Café in Terrell Library. Spontaneous music-making has charmed many a coffee drinker lately. And now, in a happy collaboration between the Libraries, the PI (Performance & Improvisation) Program, and the Division of Jazz Studies, we are launching... Continue Reading

December 05, 2022

Puzzle Lending Library

The Science Library is ready for the Love Our Libraries - Circulation! event on Dec. 5. Stop in to see the new puzzles available for checkout and enjoy the festive decorations. Borrow a book or two while you're at it - perhaps something from the popular science collection to see you through the winter break and Winter Term.... Continue Reading

Photo of one of Keith Allen's pop-up books

November 22, 2022

Keith Allen Pop-up Book Talk and Signing

Keith Allen is a professional designer, illustrator and paper engineer from Cleveland, Ohio with fifteen years professional experience in product design at the greeting card company, American Greetings. He ventured into self-publishing four years ago with the launch of a successful pop-up book that he created with two very... Continue Reading

November 07, 2022

Monthly Library Tours

Do you have questions about the library? Have you ever wondered where the best study spots are, or why the books are arranged like that? All four library branches, Archives and Special Collections, are now offering monthly tours to answer your questions. Terrell Main Library (Mudd Center), 2nd Tuesdays @ 12:30 Clarence Ward... Continue Reading

Covers of some of the books being cataloged in DMS

October 24, 2022

Making the Hidden Discoverable: The Story of the Mysterious Arabic Collection

Mary Church Terrell Main Library has been home to a collection of Arabic books that arrived at Oberlin in the 1970s. They found a new home in Mudd’s basement, where they swam in layers of dust until 2020, when they were excavated by the librarians. They found stacks of black or green leather-bound books; the occasional... Continue Reading

Cropped illustration of a human skull from Romancing the Skull

October 19, 2022

The Clarence Ward Art Library Celebrates Halloween and El Día de los Muertos

October finds the Art Library decked out in Halloween decorations and our student staff has put together a display of books on “The Art of Death".Two of our favorites are: Romancing the Skull: Romancing the skull' is not about Death: it is about Bones - head bones. It looks at the skull in art, asking the question... 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.