Libraries select materials for display and loaning purposes based on a set of specific criteria. It is important to understand how library directors make choices on what resources to acquire so you know what to expect when looking to lend. Directors take into consideration contemporary and permanent value, regional relevance, reputation of writers, historical significance of material, and the information materials provide. Libraries may purchase more copies of one text over another, for example, due to the cost or scarcity of the latter selection.
Determine the progress of your project. If you are seeking to acquire information related to the subject of psychology, for example, decide what types of resource materials you need before entering the library. Books on the history of psychology or collections of case studies may be on hand and located in categories related to general psychology. Individual psychological interviews, on the other hand, may be associated with the specific institution conducting the research and remain unpublished -- relegated only to the records of the institution itself.
Obtain a library map and guidelines associated with resource materials. Determine where each section is located and where to position yourself within the library to expedite your search. Situate yourself near the section devoted to social sciences, for instance, if the bulk of your research regards psychological data. Check with written guidelines or library administrators to find out the length of time you are able to check materials out and what materials -- if any -- are not authorized for removal from the premises.
Breaking down how libraries organize reference materials is essential to maximize selection success. The Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal System are the two primary methods for library categorization. Both methods provide codes for general subject, specified subject, writer and publication date. Each code contains letters, numbers or both. Follow the code for each piece of material to locate it in the library. "GPSHY" (first code), for example, may stand for "General Psychology"; "1422" (second code) indicates a specific section for "Child Psychology"; "RIL" and "2010" (third and fourth codes, respectively) may organize the text within other Child Psychology materials by an abbreviation of the author's last name and the date the book was published.