Using Library Catalogs

Catalogs at Yale and elsewhere
This section includes connections to Yale Library online catalogs, information about card catalogs, and connections to library catalogs from around the world.

Tips for searching in Orbis
This section includes a general guide to using Orbis and tips on searching in specific subject areas:

Catalogs at Yale and elsewhere

Yale Library catalogs

Divinity Library catalogs

The Public card catalog, "Old Day Missions Library" card catalog, and World Student Christian Federation Library card catalog are no longer available. All items in these card catalogs are now represented in Orbis.

Pamphlet collections
The Divinity Library has various pamphlet collections that are organized and described in an archival fashion. Finding aids are available in the Special Collections Reading Room for pamphlets relating to:

How to find books not at Yale

Library Catalogs Worldwide

Tips for searching in Orbis

Guide to Using Orbis

Bible: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

The text of the Bible

Relating the Bible to other fields, genres, interpretation

People in Bible

By name of individual, designation, e.g.
  • Abraham biblical patriarch
  • Moses biblical leader
  • Hezekiah king of judah
  • Isaiah biblical prophet
  • Paul the apostle saint
  • Matthew the apostle saint
  • Mark saint
  • Luke saint
  • John saint apostle
  • Jesus Christ

Names of people qualified by subjects

  • --Historicity
    e.g. Jesus Christ--historicity
  • --Teachings
    e.g. Paul the apostle saint--teachings
  • --Theology
  • --Views on _____
    e.g.
    • Paul the apostle saint--views on Jewish law
    • Paul the apostle saint--views on justification
    • Paul the apostle saint--views on women

Versions of the Bible

The basic procedure for finding specific versions of the Bible (i.e., Revised Standard Version, New King James Version, New International Version, etc.) is to do a Title search starting with the word "Bible" followed by the language, and then the version.

Additional subject headings

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Church/ Denominational/ Ecumenical Resources: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

The subject headings for many denominations are listed below. It is important to note that many denominations have merged or changed names throughout their history. As a result, older works may be found under a former name or denominational body. In many cases, ORBIS will list the older or newer name of a particular denomination using a "Search Also Under" listing. In the list below, with rare exception, the name has been given for the denomination as it is known in the United States. Foreign denominational bodies can usually be found using a similar form. For instance, works on the Presbyterian Church in Canada can be found by replacing the "U.S.A." with "Canada" in the subject heading (i.e. "Presbyterian Church in Canada").

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The Ecumenical Movement: relevant subject headings

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Church History: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

Early Christianity
Medieval Christianity

Early Christianity: Relevant Library of Congress Subject Headings

The following is a list of the major Library of Congress subject headings for the history of ancient Christianity. A subject search in Orbis with these headings will bring up general works under these categories as well as further sub-headings.

Many works on early Christianity are organized in the LC system under more specific subject areas. When searching for information on a particular topic, one can narrow the search to ancient Christianity as follows:

The correct forms for topics (to fill in the bracketed space) are most easily found from other Orbis records. Do a keyword search for the topic desired and check the LC subject headings of the works listed.

For major subject headings, the Orbis system also presents a list of additional headings under the note "Search also under." These headings are either related general subjects or related narrower topics. Selecting the line number for one of these offered headings will automatically execute the search.

Medieval Christianity: relevant subject headings

Most of these headings can be searched more specifically with the subheadings:

Also, the subheading: "--History of Doctrines--middle ages, 600-1500" can be used for most theological topics (e.g.: "Salvation--history of doctrines--middle ages, 600-1500"). In addition, many related fields will have a heading specific to the middle ages, such as "Architecture, medieval."

Depending on one's area of research, it is also often possible to access information through a geographical subject heading (name of region/country--church history), or through the name of an individual in whom one is interested, or the name of a denomination or sect. For the latter, "Catholic Church" is used in LCSH as a pattern heading; that is, all subheadings that are widely used for religions and religious organizations are to be found under the Catholic Church heading. Additional subheadings that are specific to a religious group may be found under that group's own heading.

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Ethics and Social Issues: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

The subject heading ethics is extremely broad in scope and generally needs to be narrowed to find works that address issues of religion and ethics. Some narrower subject headings include:

All three subject headings can be further specified geographically or by using other subject headings and subheadings. For instance:

The heading Christian ethics can be limited according to denomination in the following way:

The heading Christian ethics can be limited according to denomination in the following way:

Some other headings that specifically address religion and ethics are:

They can be further specified using other subject headings and subheadings in the following way:

Subject headings such as,

can be limited to find works specifically dealing with their religious aspects. For instance:

This principle applies to many other subject headings. For instance:

Some other subject headings that may be useful in finding works on religion and ethics are as follows:

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Social Issues (select): relevant subject headings

Because there is a religious aspect to virtually every social issue, the most effective way to find works that address the religious aspect of a particular social issue is by using the subject heading of the particular issue, and then limiting it. For instance:

Some other subject headings which address social issues and religion are as follows:

All these subject headings can be further subdivided according to geographic location, using other subject headings and subheadings. For instance:

The subject headings,

are also relevant to the study of religion and social issues.

The subject heading Sociology, Christian can be further subdivided according to denomination in the following way:

Some other headings which deal with religion and social issues are as follows:

Most, but not all, of these subject headings can be further specified using geographic location, other subject headings (such as denomination) and limiters. For instance:

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Liturgy and worship: relevant subject headings

The following LCSH may be useful in finding resources related to Liturgy and worship.

Like all LCSH, these can be further subdivided using other LCSH. For instance

These subject headings also subdivide geographically, such as:

Worship and liturgy of a specific denomination can be found using the following form:

Other LCSH that relate to liturgy and worship include the following:

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Missions and World Christianity: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

The Yale Divinity Library has an extensive collection of documentation related to missions and world Christianity. All holdings are now available in the Yale online catalog: Orbis.

Subject headings related to missions and world Christianity are many and varied. The most basic forms are:

In the interests of simplicity and standardization, a set of approximately fifty subject headings is drawn upon for base level cataloging of missions material. These are the most commonly used subject headings:

For sending agencies, the impact of Western missions:

Integrating Christianity into non-Western context:

Indigenous church bodies, actions, groups, etc.:

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Practical Theology: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

The most broad subject heading for practical theology is

There are many other subject headings that may be helpful in accessing resources related to Practical theology. They fall into two broad categories: Pastoral theology and religious education and Liturgy and Worship.

The following subject headings relate to pastoral theology:

all three of these subjects headings subdivide geographically such as

They may be further specified using other LCSH subject headings. For instance

Pastoral counseling may also be attached to other LCSH subject headings such as

Some other LCSH that may be useful are the following:

Much like pastoral theology, the subject of religious education is broad based. The most borad subject headings are:

These subject headings can be further subdivided according to geographic region such as

They can also be subdivided using other LCSH such as

There are many other LCSH that relate to religious education such as:

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Religion and the Arts: relevant Library of Congress subject headings

Subject headings covering Religion and the Arts include those relating to the visual arts, to music, as well as poetry and literature.

Some which are directly related to religion and visual art are as follows:

These subject heading subdivide geographically

and can also be further specified:

Other examples of subject headings that relate to religion and the visual arts are as follows:

Most, but not all, of these subject headings can be subdivided geographically or further specified using other subject headings and limiters such as:

Works on religion and literature can be found using the following subject headings:

Works on religion and poetry can be found using the following subject headings:

Many of these subject headings can be further specified by geographic region or using other headings. For instance:

Works on religion and music can be found using the following subject headings,

this subject heading can then be further specified according to and other subject headings such as:

The subject heading,

can also be used to find works on music. It can also be further specified according to geographic location or other subject headings and limiters. For instance:

Hymns in specific languages have their own subject heading such as:

As with the subject heading Hymns, these too can be subdivided according to geographic location or with other subject headings and limiters.

Hymns translated from a particular language use the following form:

Other subject headings that are useful in finding information about hymns or music and religion are the following:

Systematic/ Doctrinal Theology: relevant Library of Congress Subject Headings

Although the subject heading

will find general works on Theology, the subject heading

will find works that focus on Systematic and Doctrinal theology.

The terms Theology and Theology, Doctrinal can also be further narrowed in various ways.  Some of the more common terms used to narrow the search are

The term also subdivides geographically in the following way

Subject Headings that will get you to general reference works on theology include:

Some other helpful LCSH are the following:

If you are looking for works by specific theologians, LCSH can also be helpful. For instance if you are interested in finding works by Karl Barth use the following form

Another good way to search for theological works by a particular theologian, or works about the theology of a particular theologian, is to use a keyword search in the following form.

or some variation thereof. Placing su. after Barth and theology in a keyword search instructs Orbis to search for all records where Barth and Theology are listed as subjects. Using this form will not get you to all Barth's works on theology. It will only get you Barth's works where theology has been listed as a subject.

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Last modified: 3/29/07

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