NUsearch - Books & More
NUsearch is the library's tool for finding books, journals, videos, images, and so much more (both physical and electronic) in our collection.
Search Strategy
Probably the best way to approach searching for books in NUsearch is to start with a keyword search.
- Enter your search terms, using words you're familiar with that describe your topic.
- Scan through the results.
- When you find a book that is relevant to your topic, explore the details of the book, including the author, table of contents and publisher by clicking on the tab labeled "Details".
- Pay special attention to the subject headings. Clicking on these will call up a list of other books that deal with similar topics.
Subject Headings
Use subject headings to call up lists of books that deal with your topic. Here are some examples.
For books about:
Use this subject heading:
the general process of giving advice regarding personal decision making and problem solving
the treatment of mental and emotional disorders primarily through the use of psychological methods
the application of psychological theories to help individuals overcome obstacles to their personal growth
You might also try using narrower headings for specific topics under the umbrella of counseling, such as:
- Assertiveness training
- Cross-cultural counseling
- Divorce counseling
- Drug abuse counseling
- Educational counseling
- Family counseling
- Group counseling
- Health counseling
- Hotlines (Counseling)
- Humanistic counseling
- Leisure counseling
- Marriage counseling
- Mentoring
- Motivational interviewing
- Peer counseling
- Philosophical counseling
- Psychoanalytic counseling
- Rehabilitation counseling
- Sex counseling
- Short-term counseling
- Vocational guidance
Chicago campus
Some books you need may be held at the Galter Health Sciences Library or at the Pritzker Legal Research Center (NU law library).
Using NUsearch you can request that items from these libraries be sent to the Evanston campus library or be shipped to your home.
To place your request from the item record in NUsearch simply click on the Sign In to Request link next to the item, log into your account, and follow the instructions.
Can't Find It @NUL?
For materials that are not available via Northwestern, or books that are checked out by someone else, you can submit an interlibrary loan request to have a copy of the item sent here. Articles are sent in digital format and arrive more quickly than books, which are delivered by mail/delivery services; average time to receive a book request is 5-10 days.
If time is tight and you are willing to travel to another library in the Chicagoland area, take advantage of our Reciprocal Borrowing agreements with the University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, and University of Illinois Chicago.
Feel free to suggest a purchase, too!
Google Books
Google Books allows you to search within the contents of books in ways a traditional library catalog cannot. This it a good way to locate a specific chapter or reference within a book that is useful to your research. When you find a good book on your topic, be sure to check NUsearch to see if Northwestern owns a copy of it.