Science Fair LibGuide: Inspiration

The items listed on this page are a mixture of books and eBooks. When using each, there are a few things to remember:

• Books - Note the Call Number listed with each book. You will need this number to find the book on the shelf. Physical books can be kept in several different collections in the Library. To find out which collection each book is in, click on the title to go to the Library catalogue. In the catalogue, look at the bottom right corner of the screen, where it says "location." Under ‘location’, you will see one of these options:
  • C-102 Ground Floor - These books are part of the Library's Circulating Collection, and are housed on the Ground Floor (C-102) level of the Library. Use the Call Number listed on each book, then take it to the Circulation Desk on the Main Floor (C-202) to check it out.
  • Reserve Collection: These books have been placed in the Reserve Collection by professors for specific courses. Ask for them at the Circulation Desk on the Main Floor (C-202).
  • New Book Section: These are recent additions to our collections. Find them on the Main Floor (C-202), on the shelves near the Circulation Desk.
  • Graphic Novel Section: These books are part of our Graphic Novel Collection. Find them on the Ground Floor (C-102) on the three sets of shelves near the top of the accessibility ramp.
  • Main Floor: These books are part of the Reference Collection on the L-shaped shelves on the Main Floor (C-202).
  • eBook: These books are part of our online eBook collections. Click on the title of the book, then on the small link labeled "URL" in the Library catalogue to access the eBook. You will be asked to log in to the database. To log in to any of the Library's databases, please follow these step-by-step instructions.
  • In Cataloguing OR In Processing: These books are currently being catalogued or processed for addition to the Library's collections. If you see a book with this status that interests you, ask about the book at the Circulation Desk.
  • Material at the bindery: These books are currently out for rebinding, and will be returned to the Library soon. Until they return, the books are unavailable.

The Library uses the Dewey Decimal System to classify books. That means that books on the same or similar topics will be shelved together, which is a great way for you to browse your subject of interest for specific ideas, both in the Reference Collection on the Main Floor and the Circulating Collection on the Ground Floor.  

Here is a breakdown of the main classes in the Dewey Decimal System:

000 Computer science, information & general works

100 Philosophy & psychology

200 Religion

300 Social sciences

400 Language

500 Science

600 Technology

700 Arts & recreation

800 Literature

900 History & geography

The Science and Technology subjects should be of particular interest to you. All books that have a call number (combination of numbers and letters on the book's spine that serves as an address to locate it)  that starts with 5XX or 6XX will be about those Science and Technology, respectively. You can even be very targeted in your browsing because the Dewey system gets more specific as you go down a level, meaning that a book with a call number starting with 53X will be about Physics instead of the more general Science category for all books with call numbers that start with 5XX.

500 Science

510 Mathematics

520 Astronomy

530 Physics

540 Chemistry

550 Earth sciences & geology

560 Fossils & prehistoric life

570 Life sciences; biology

580 Plants (Botany)

590 Animals (Zoology)

600 Technology

610 Medicine & health

620 Engineering

630 Agriculture

640 Home & family management

650 Management & public relations

660 Chemical engineering

670 Manufacturing

680 Manufacture for specific uses

690 Building & construction

The third level of the Dewey classification system is avalable here for the 500s and here for the 600s if you want to be even more specific.  For example, if you are interested in Magnetism, books on that topic would have a call number that begins with 538 (5XX for Science, 53X for Physics and 538 for Magnetism.)

If you need any help with the Dewey system or call numbers, feel free to ask for help at the Reference Desk.