Print collections for PMA are in Cahill (astronomy), the Sherman Fairchild Library (physics and math), Geology Library (planetary science) and the Caltech Hall basement (astronomy overflow). The Caltech Hall basement is closed to browsing. If you need material from Caltech Hall, please page it via LibSearch or you can contact us at circ@library.caltech.edu with item(s) desired.
LibSearch is our catalog / discovery service and can be used to find both print and electronic items.
**NOTE - When using the catlaog (LibSearch) from off-campus and not on VPN, it is strongly recommended to sign with your Caltech access credentials (the top banner). This will provide you with quicker access to materials held electronically. Also, some results will not show up unless you are signed in with access credentials. You may see some search results with 'log in to gain access to this result' if you are not signed in with access.**
If you come across something that you'd like the library to consider purchasing, please request via this form. Please note that we only take requests from current Caltech faculty/staff/researchers, and will only consider items that support the research at Caltech. Electronic format is the default format.
LibAnswers is our self-help frequently asked questions. Simply type a term and a list of answers will come up.
You can also browse popular questions or browse by topic.
You can also find a variety of ways to contact us for additional help.
Google Scholar - This FAQ explains how to configure your Scholar account so that Caltech Connect links appear in your search results.
NASA ADS - Please remember to configure ADS to set our Library as your home. Once you do this you'll see proxied links to our licensed / subscribed resources in ADS. For more information, please see this FAQ that gives detailed instructions about setting this up.
MathSciNet - Please use this link to access this database.
Remote / Off Campus Access - Please consult this page for options about how to access library subscriptions remotely.
Library Catalogs and Tools
Library Catalog (LibSearch) - All of our resources, including print and electronic are in our catalog. Use the filters on the left to fine-tune your search, and be sure to use the optional fields as well (Boolean operators). Note that our catalog is a discovery catalog, meaning it searches other materials outside of our library collections. If you see the orange 'Get It @' button, select that button to view what options are available. You can always use Docuserve/Interlibrary Loan for anything we do not have access to.
Publication Finder (PubFinder) - To view the library's electronic journal and ebook holdings, search by title in this database. Ebooks are also discoverable via the catalog (LibSearch) but they're stacked on top of the search results in the placard. You might see a 'Looking for this Publication?' placard.
Citation Linker - Use this tool to get a direct link to either a page to download an article or a link to Docuserve to request it.
LibGuides, created by SpringShare, are a content management system used at thousands of libraries worldwide.
Librarians use it to curate and share information, knowledge, and resources, based on their institute's primary areas of research and their users. They are not a comprehensive guide to all available resources.
LibGuides are just that..."guides" to using a subject-specific area or topic. Further exploration is encouraged by the library user.
LibGuides can be difficult to maintain, as links can and do change frequently, resources come and go and more.
All of our Library's LibGuides are available here.
