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 Journal Finder lists in one place every print and electronic journal, magazine, and newspaper available through both paid subscriptions and reputable open access platforms. Use the Journal Finder to see if Oberlin subscribes to these publications, to see if they're available online, or to compare coverage dates 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 search by publication title (e.g. Nature or The New York Times) and then navigate through the volume and issue and year provided by the citation. If you want to search by article title, search for the article from Summon.

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

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.

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.

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.

News: Conservatory Library

April 02, 2025

"Soup of the Day" Tiny Ref Desk Concert

Join us on Friday, April 4th for a Tiny Ref Desk Concert, featuring Rosalie Coleman and Kat O'Brien on fiddle, Jacob Marren-Cooke on guitar, and Nathaniel Liu on cello. If you can't make it in person, the event will be livestreamed on the Con Library's Instagram account. Event Details "Soup of the Day," performed by... Continue Reading

Portrait of Toni Morrison, black and white photo.

February 09, 2024

Toni Morrison's Signed Copy of Jazz

Toni Morrison was born and raised in Lorain, Ohio about 12 miles north of Oberlin. In celebration of this luminary, who received both Pulitzer and Nobel prizes, the Ohio state legislature designated her birthday, February 18, “Toni Morrison Day”. Our Conservatory Special Collections include a copy of... Continue Reading

February 08, 2024

Performers Needed for the Con Library’s Tiny Ref Desk Concerts

The Conservatory Library is looking for individual or ensemble performers to perform a 30-minute Tiny Ref Desk Concert in the Conservatory Library's East Wing. We host a Tiny Ref Desk Concert every month, on the second or third Friday, from noon to 12:30pm. This month, we're hoping to find a talented musician to play on... Continue Reading

Two hands making a heart-shaped card with craft materials surrounding it.

February 06, 2024

Make Your Valentine a Valentine at the Conservatory Library

Visit the Con Library's Valentine station to make a Valentine or collage for your special someone. We will provide glue sticks, glitter sticks, markers, crayons, stickers, and doilies. Event Information Where: Conservatory Library When: February 7-February 14 Continue Reading

CDs laying flat, overlapping with each other.

January 22, 2024

Check Out CDs and DVDs from the Conservatory Library for 1 Week

Oberlin College & Conservatory students can now check out CDs & DVDs from the Conservatory Library for one week. We also lend external drives! We have close to 70,000 CDs, so let the listening begin!! Photograph of CDs Continue Reading

Portrait of Christopher Jenkins against white background.

November 01, 2023

Assimilation v. Integration in Music Education

Christopher Jenkins Join us for a book talk with Christopher Jenkins, sponsored by the Friends of the Oberlin College Libraries!Christopher Jenkins is the Associate Dean for Academic Support, the Conservatory Liaison to the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Musicology. Chris is... Continue Reading

Dorothy Ashby portrait, black and white photo.

May 08, 2023

Inquiries & Insights: MHST 360 Students Present Research from the Neumann Jazz Archive

The final presentation for MHST 360: Jazz & Media Studies Through the Neumann Archive is a culmination of the course's exploration of the broad ramifications of the "archival turn." Throughout the course, students engaged in three primary curricular activities: an interdisciplinary survey of recent writings related to... Continue Reading

Trio Chroma members holding their instruments, in front of blooming white trees.

May 01, 2023

Trio Chroma Tiny Ref Desk Concert

Visit the Oberlin Conservatory Library at 12 noon (ET), May 3, 2023 for a Tiny Ref Desk Concert with Trio Chroma. The concert will also be live streamed on Instagram (@obieconlib) Trio Chroma: Blake Logan, cello; Emily Beckner, violin; William Mathangani, violaString Trio in C (1933) by Jean Francaix Continue Reading

Close-up of Pete Seeger performing, white flowers doodled in the empty space in the photo.

April 14, 2023

Where Have All The Flowers Gone?: Folk Music at Oberlin College

This three-part exhibit explores the history of Folk Music at Oberlin College through three individuals: Joe Hickerson '57, Pete Seeger, and Ed Freeman (1960-63). The exhibit venues are Terrell Library, 1st Floor Gallery; the College Archives; and the Conservatory Library. It is on display from now until June 16, 2023. Continue Reading

Eris Quartet holding instruments and standing in front of large glass windows together.

March 23, 2023

Eris Quartet Tiny Ref Desk Concert

Visit the Oberlin Conservatory Library at 12 noon (ET), March 28, 2023 for a Tiny Ref Desk Concert with the Eris Quartet. The concert will also be live streamed on Instagram (@obieconlib). Eris Quartet: Amina Knapp and Maya Irizarry-Lambright, Violins; Felix Veser, Viola; Daniel Knapp, Cello Shulamit Ran String Quartet No.... Continue Reading

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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.

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.

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News: Conservatory Library

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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.

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.