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University of Iowa

University Libraries

AP English (Moline High School) - 2025 - Faulkner: Welcome and Library Basics

Hello and Welcome!

WELCOME TO THE MAIN LIBRARY

Things To Remember:

  • Yes, we are open to the public, but focused on our University students, faculty and staff!
    • You are welcome in all public areas of the building, please remain respectful of those around you.
    • With that in mind, explore and have fun!!
  • This is the largest academic building on campus, if you get lost--ask for directions!
    • "Base Camp" for both groups will be rooms 1015 and 4037
    • Floor Map for the Main Library
    • Every stair entrance and elevator has floor listing directories, pay attention to signs above your head as well!
  • The primary service point is the Service Desk, on the first floor, with the Just Ask desk available for more in-depth reference questions.
    • All desk workers have been notified as to your presence, and are happy and willing to assist in any way!
  • All physical objects are catalogued in InfoHawk+, as well as a majority of digital offerings!
    • You will not be able to check out physical items, please make scans or take pictures or notes
    • Some of the online resources will be available for download (as PDF) many will not, again, take notes and screenshots!

Your hosts are Max Radl, Andrea Anderson and Cathy Cranston--we will be available for the duration of your visit and likely stationed at your base camps. Please ask us anything at any time!

General Research Tips

  • Generate a list of your search terms and any synonyms.

  • Search for each term in InfoHawk+ and our databases. Look at the subjects that are listed with interesting resources.

  • If searching for a phrase, insert quotation marks around the phrase.

  • If you find a resource that looks interesting, look at the Subjects listed for that item. It may give you terms you can add to your search! You can click on them to find things cataloged with that term.

  • Change your results by using the words AND, OR, NOT in your search, like this: symbolism AND "As I Lay Dying" AND Faulkner.

  • Limit your search by a date range if you only want results from certain years. 

  • If you need a peer-reviewed, scholarly, or academic articles (lots of words for the same idea!), select "Peer-reviewed journal" from the left side of InfoHawk+. (Some databases have a peer-reviewed filter as well!)

  • Try your search terms in multiple databases.

  • Look at the footnotes and bibliography of scholarly articles and dissertations - they can lead you to related sources!

  • InfoHawk+ can generate a citation for resources. Click on the large quotation mark at the bottom of the record and copy it into a document. Always double check them for accuracy!

  • The first sources that you find may not be the best. Keep looking!

How to Read an LC Call Number

When you locate a book in InfoHawk+, you'll need to take note of a few things in order to find it in the Library. 

Library description of Let America be America again and other poems by Langston Hughes

Notice:

  • this is a BOOK in print/paper form (as opposed to an "ebook" which would be located online)
  • it is Available (which means it should be sitting on the shelf as opposed to already checked out by someone else)
  • It is located in the Main Library (as opposed to any of our other campus libraries)
  • it is in the "Stacks" which is another way to say it is on a bookshelf
  • there is a call number that tells you the location in the library
  • We use a different system than what you are used to in your high school library - but don't worry, we can help you find what you are looking for or you can ask anyone shelving books for help too!

How to locate a book by its call number

image of blue book spine with call number listed in 4 short lines and image of computer with call number as one long line of digits

Image source: Howard Community College

When you are looking for a print book in our libraries, always start with the beginning of the call number. Books are arranged alphabetically starting with this. For example, all PS call numbers are together, after PR and before PT, and all P’s come after all combinations of N and before all combinations of Q, like this:

P, PA, PB . . . PP, PR, PS . . . Q, QA, QB

When books have identical letter combinations, look to the number line next. Books are ordered using whole numbers on this part. For example:

PS1    PS206    PS3511    PS6037     PS6209

When the beginning combinations of letters and numbers are identical, next look at the part after the decimal point. Books are first ordered alphabetically and then arranged by decimal number (not whole number.) The following call numbers are in correct order:

PR6037.A47  PR6037.A8   PR6037.A86  PR6037.E222

If there are more letters and numbers that follow, repeat the pattern of looking at the letters alphabetically, and the numbers as a decimal number.

LC Call Number Ranges

Author / Creator, "William Faulkner" -- PS3511.A86 ...

"William Faulkner" AND criticism AND interpretation -- PS3511.A86 Z7...

Search Term Suggestions

Themes and Motifs

  • Southern Gothic literature AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • (Family dynamics OR family structure OR family relationships OR family conflict) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • (Death OR mourning) AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • (Isolation OR alienation) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • (Stream of consciousness) AND ( "As I Lay Dying")
  • Symbolism AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • Mental illness AND "As I Lay Dying"

Characters and Analysis

  • "Addie Bundren"
  • "Darl Bundren"
  • "Anse Bundren"
  • "Jewel Bundren"
  • "Dewey Dell Bundren"
  • "Vardaman Bundren"

Literary Techniques

  • Narrative structure AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • (perspectives OR views OR viewpoints) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • (writing style OR narrative) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • (Imagery OR symbolism) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • (Dialect OR Vernacular) AND ("As I Lay Dying")

Historical and Cultural Context

  • ("The Great Depression") AND (Faulkner) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • Southern culture AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • (Faulkner) AND (American literature) AND (impact OR influence)
  • (Modernism OR realism OR naturalism OR regionalism) AND ("As I Lay Dying")

Critical Reception and Analysis

  • (critique OR critical interpretation OR critical analysis) AND ("As I Lay Dying")
  • comparative analysis AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • Modern literature AND "As I Lay Dying"
  • "As I Lay Dying"  (Limit to peer review for scholarly articles)

Main Library Floorplan

1st floor scanning, commons, cafe

 

2nd floor call numbers PS3517 - PZ 

 

3rd floor bound periodicals & journals

 

4th floor call numbers E - N and P- PS3515 

5th floor call numbers A - D