PAP Orientation to Library Resources: Books

For a more detailed primer on finding books at PSU, see the Public Administration how-do page.

Portland State University Library holds nearly 1.5 million books and ebooks, all of which can be accessed through the PSU Library catalog. 
In addition to our own books, the Catalog also allows you to service the catalogs of 30 partner universities, which whom we have a sharing agreement. If Washington State University has a book you need, they will ship it to PSU Library Free of charge and allow you to borrow the work. 

The catalog is not just a listing of the books we hold - it is also a powerful search engine that allows you to search based on author, title, publication data, document type, language, etc.  You can also use the catalog to look up book reviews and commentaries about assigned readings. 

Example Search

If the item you’re looking for isn’t available at the PSU Library, you might see a Request from Other Libraries option that will allow you to request a physical copy or, if it's a book, a PDF of an individual chapter.  

• First, sign in to the catalog to enable the request function;
• If the item is not available from our library, you can click the Request button for the physical copy or chapter PDF under Request from Other Libraries;
• The system will automatically prioritize fastest delivery;
• When your request has been filled, you will be notified by PSU email.