You can start all your research in the search box above!
Prefer to start somewhere more specific in scope? Check out Databases A-Z to find subject specific databases, or a research guide for links to resources best for certain subjects.LITS has more than 800,000 physical books in the library, as well as DVDs, journals, CDs, music scores, photographs, rare books, manuscript materials, student theses and much much more. We also have access to many thousands of ebooks, articles and video online (look for the blue MHC Get It button
to check for online access). You have free access to it all. If we don't have something, we can usually get it for you (still for free!), see #6.You’ll find MHC’s library materials in three locations: the main LITS Complex, Pratt Music Library and the Language & Culture Commons. Need to locate an item on the shelf? See our floor map and stacks locations.
There’s more! You have access to more than 10 million physical volumes in the Five Colleges. Choose Request item and Five College items will be delivered to MHC for pickup within two weekdays. Note that you can even request MHC items. All items will be held for pickup at the Circulation Desk for seven business days.
Unfortunately, not all of our stacks floors are wheelchair accessible. See LITS services and resources for individuals with disabilities for details. Request items to be pulled and held at the Circulation Desk.
If you need an item that none of the Five Colleges has, we have a service to get you items from almost anywhere. If you have a citation, log in to your interlibrary loan account and place a request. Books may arrive as quickly as 4 days but, if a book is hard to find, it will take longer. Please plan accordingly. Article PDFs will be delivered to your email as quickly as the same day (often, in just hours). Note that you can request book chapters, too, and we’ll get you a scanned PDF. You can even find more books at WorldCat and request from there.
Interested in streaming video? LITS subscribes to AVON (Academic Video Online), a streaming service curated for an educational setting. Watch movies on your laptop from anywhere, both on and off campus. All AVON movies come with limited public performance rights, so you can also show them in an auditorium to a public audience, as long as no admission is being charged.
Did you know we also have leisure collections? Leisure books are on the 4th floor by the AskLITS board, and leisure DVDs are on level 2½. Come grab something fun over break, or just to take your mind off all that schoolwork. If you have a local public library card, you can also borrow materials through their catalog, CW/MARS, which includes a wide variety of leisure books, video and audiobooks. Go get a library card at the South Hadley Public Library or the Gaylord Memorial Library (which is right across the street!).
You have free access to all required readings for your courses! PDFs of articles will be in your Moodle course. Books that are required for classes will be on on reserve at the library, usually for 4 hour check-out periods, or will be available as ebooks. Learn more on the course reserves page.
For the history of Mount Holyoke College and other rare and unique materials, see Archives and Special Collections. In our digital collections, we have letters, student newspapers, photographs of the College and more, as well as theses that students have submitted as honors work.
Do you have a suggestion for a book or DVD we should buy for the library? Send us a purchase request.
We are here to make your research easier in any way we can. For support, contact the Research Help Desk.