Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ: Library Collection Materials

How are the library books organized?

We follow the Library of Congress Classification system. Find the subject you are interested in and browse the book stacks. It is a great way to find perfect resources that you may miss when you only use the catalog to search. (See the LOC Classification listing in the box below)

Where do I find novels and fiction books?

They are shelved in our Circulating Collection on the 3rd floor, call number PN - PZ sections. We encourage you to go up there and browse the books. In addition, new acquisitions are briefly displayed at the entrance. There are many Young Adult fiction titles on the first floor of the library as well.

Where do I find books in foreign languages?

Because our focus is to support the foreign language classes, we actively purchase titles in French, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. They are shelved in our Foreign Language Collection on the first floor.

How can I find print magazines or journals? Can I check them out?

Print periodicals are located on the 2nd floor of the Ikeda Library. Copiers/Scanners are available for all patrons to make copies.

How do I access the SUA MA theses and Undergraduate capstones?

The SUA MA theses/projects approved by the Graduate School office are available on the first floor of the library. You may simply borrow them just as other circulating books. Undergraduate Capstones are only accessible to SUA students who have the signed request form. They may be checked out for 4 hours.

Does the library have test prep materials, such as for the GRE or MCAT? 

Yes! We have study books as well as question packs for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, and TOEFL. For more information, please see Career Resources: Test Prep or search our catalog. 

I keep hearing about Information Guides or LibGuides. What are they?

Information Guides, also commonly referred to as Research Guides or LibGuides (the term created by our vendor) are electronic resources created by librarians for specific course or information needs. They are a great jumping off point when you are unsure how to start researching a specific subject, topic, or assignment. 

Information Guides can also be created in collaboration with faculty for specific courses to provide research and literacy resources and strategies unique to the curriculum or assignments. A course-specific Information Guide can be a great resource to embed into a Brightspace page. If you are an instructor and would like to collaborate on guides for subjects, courses, research projects or assignments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Reference and Instruction team (Jennifer Tirrell and Karina Kletscher) via MS Teams or email. We would be happy to collaborate with you and lead an instruction session to walk your class(es) through the resource. 

To access Ikeda Library’s Information Guides from the home page, select “Services & Forms” from any of the dropdown menus. Then select the “Information Guides” tab. You can also always enter libguides.soka.edu into your browser’s search bar. From here, you can browse the guides by subject or use the search bar to enter keywords, specific guide titles, or course titles (if applicable). 

Can I recommend materials for the library to purchase? 

We love to hear from the SUA community about evolving information needs and growing our collections. If you have a book, film or other item that you would like the library to add to the collection, then please complete this form.

See Library of Congress Classification for more information. 

How do I access and use Ebooks? 

The library subscribes to several Ebook databases which can be searched directly from the library catalog. For more information, please click here for FAQs related to Ebooks or navigate using the "FAQ: Ebooks" tab at the top of this guide. For step-by-step instructions with images, please click here to follow the Ebook Download Instructions. For more information on Ebooks in our collection or troubleshooting information, please refer to our Ebooks Guide.

How do I access online magazines/ newspapers? Does this include foreign ones?

The library subscribes to many periodicals as well as databases that provide even broader access to titles such as The Economist. This includes foreign periodicals. These can be searched directly from the library catalog. 

Remember, the SUA community also has free, unlimited access to the New York Times. Follow this link for instructions on activating or renewing your subscription.

How do I access the New York Times? 

The SUA community has free, unlimited access to NYT and can make a free account with their SUA credentials. This account will need to be reactivated annually. For guided instructions, please click here for NYT Access Instructions. This will allow you to access NYT online or via the NYT mobile app.

Existing paid subscribers will have to decide which account to use. If you wish to change to the Soka coverage, cancel your personal paid account with NYTimes.com' account service, wait 24 to 48 hours for account to be removed, and then just log in with same prior credentials to NYTimes.com/GroupPass.

How do I get lists of video or audio materials?

Click on one of the links below for a complete list of items.

What if Ikeda Library doesn't have a book or article that I need?  

If the library does not have an item that you need for research, we can request it from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).  Otherwise, please follow the directions below:

• To make a request for a book, click here for the Request Books Form. 
• To make a request for a journal article, click here for the Request a Journal Article Form.

Please contact Gosha Domagala for any further assistance. 

How long does it take to get a print book through Interlibrary Loan? 

We recommend you allow at least 2 weeks for your print book to come through the mail. On the ILL Request Book form, it says “On average, books arrive within 5 business days.” If you request a journal article, it will arrive usually within 1-2 business days, because those are sent electronically. 

How do I find items my professor has put on reserve?

Reserve items are accessible from the circulation desk in the Library. Course Reserves page shows you how to find out what material has been placed on reserve.