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New Fiction in Collins Library

Where's the fiction section?

Where is the fiction section at Collins Library? Unlike a public library or a bookstore, there is not a distinct "fiction section" in the library, but rest assured, there's plenty of fiction to find and read!

In college and university libraries, fiction books are classified by language and chronological period, and the fiction and criticism are kept next to each other. The Library of Congress classification system is designed this way so you can more easily research a work of literature. However, you can make this structure work for your leisure reading, too!

Just think about what type of books you want. Did you want to read modern Latin American authors? Eighteenth-century British classics? Soul-searching novels of the American 1950s?  Follow the catalog searching tips below to find your next novel to read!

Searching for Fiction by Subject or Theme

One way to search the catalog for fiction is to select a subject--any subject, really--and then add the word fiction after it.  So, let's say you have a hankering to read fiction where the setting is India, or you enjoy reading novels that explore the theme of travel.  If that's the case, search the catalog by subject:

India -- fiction

Travel - fiction

Although this method is not always successful, it's usually worth a try.  Do you think there's fiction involving plagues?  How about fiction related to the civil rights movement?  How about novels concerning opium?  If you answered yes, you're right. Take a look:

Plague -- fiction

Civil rights movement -- fiction

Opium -- fiction

Searching for Fiction by Genre

Since 1990, catalogers have had the option of cataloging fiction by popular genre.  This can be an especially useful search strategy when you want to find more recent fiction in a particular genre like horror or science fiction.  To search the catalog by genre, use the abbreviation "ge:" followed by the name of the genre:

ge: psychological fiction

ge: horror

ge: fantasy fiction

ge: historical fiction