If you can't find the book that you want at VCU, try these resources to find what you need.
Dissertations may be useful for finding criticism on newer authors or specialized topics, and the bibliographies of recent dissertations can often provide a wealth of new sources.
Google Books provides full-text access to many books in the public domain or out of copyright, and partial access to others.
One effective way to find historical monographs is simply to go to the shelf in the area of the library where works about the event, person, or period are located. Because our library is organized by subject according to Library of Congress Classification, you will find related materials grouped together.
If you want to browse large areas of the shelves, you may wish to consult the Library of Congress Classification Outline. The "Class" links below provide greater description of each class. History materials are also to be found in other subject area (e.g. materials on the history of mathematics may be found under "QA." Materials having to do with History are located primarily on the 1st and 3rd floors of Cabell Library and are broken down as follows:
Class C - Auxiliary Sciences of History
Subclass C - Auxiliary Sciences of History (General)
Subclass CB - History of Civilization
Subclass CC - Archaeology
Subclass CD - Diplomatics. Archives. Seals
Subclass CE - Technical chronology. Calendar
Subclass CJ - Numismatics
Subclass CN - Inscriptions. Epigraphy
Subclass CR - Heraldry
Subclass CS - Genealogy
Subclass CT - Biography
Class D - World History and History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
Subclass D - History (General)
Subclass DA - Great Britain
Subclass DAW - Central Europe
Subclass DB - Austria - Liechtenstein - Hungary - Czechoslovakia
Subclass DC - France - Andorra - Monacao
Subclass DD - Germany
Subclass DE - Greco-Roman World
Subclass DF - Greece
Subclass DG - Italy - Malta
Subclass DH - Low Countries - Benelux Countries
Subclass DJ - Netherlands (Holland)
Subclass DJK - Eastern Europe (General)
Subclass DK - Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics - Poland
Subclass DL - Northern Europe. Scandinavia
Subclass DP - Spain - Portugal
Subclass DQ - Switzerland
Subclass DR - Balkan Peninsula
Subclass DS - Asia
Subclass DT - Africa
Subclass DU - Oceania (South Seas)
Subclass DX - Romanies
Class E - History of the Americas
E11-143 - America
E151-904 - United States
Class F - History of the Americas
F1-975 - Local History
F1001-1145.2 - British America (including Canada) - Dutch America
F1170 - French America
F1201-3799 - Latin America. Spanish America
Encyclopedias, guides, and dictionaries about these subjects are located on the 1st floor of Cabell Library in the reference collection.
Reference books provide brief descriptions of people, places, events, and so on, often along with suggestions for related secondary or primary sources. To browse for reference books, use the outline above and go to the stacks on the 1st floor of Cabell Library.
A Dictionary of World History by 
American DecadesE-books can be found via the VCU Libraries catalog. Here are a couple resources that may be of particular use.
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