For example, to find books of literary criticism on James Joyce, try entering the keywords Joyce criticism.
Or use the catalog's Advanced Search option to find books located at McKillop Library and other HELIN libraries. To limit your search to books located only at McKillop Library, select "Salve Regina University" under the drop-down menu labeled "View entire collection." A keyword search allows you to search for any term relevant to your research topic. Keyword searching simply matches your search terms to any word included in a book's catalog listing. For more detailed information on finding books, see our guide to finding books.
To find a book on the shelf, use the call number listed in the catalog. Most books on literature and literary criticism have call numbers beginning with P and are located on the 3rd floor in the Main Collection.
The P classification is sub-divided by national literatures. For example:
Within national divisions, books are arranged first by the century in which the author was writing and then alphabetically by the author's last name.
- PA - Classical, Greek, Roman, Medieval Literature
- PB - Celtic Literature
- PG - Russian, Slavic Literature
- PJ - Hebrew, Near Eastern, Semitic, Syriac Literature
- PK - Indo-Iranian Literature
- PL - African, Far Eastern Literature
- PN - General Literature, Drama, Poetry, Prose, Film, Communication
- PQ - French, Italian, Potuguese, Spanish Literature
- PR - English Literature
- PS - American Literature
- PT - Danish, Dutch, German Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish Literature
- PZ - Juvenille Fiction
REFERENCE BOOKS
Reference books are located in the reference area on the 1st floor. For the large multi-volume sets of literary criticism located in the Reference area in call numbers PN to PR, use the index in the last volume at the end of each set in order to search for the particular author or title that you are researching. There is also an online index available to these Gale literary criticism sets. Please note that we have many but not all of the sets included in this online index.






Ask at the Reference Desk, call 401.341.2289, or submit a question online if you need assistance.