Gould Library collections are designed to provide a wide range of materials and resources that directly advance, reflect, and support the College’s current and evolving curriculum.   

While even an exceptional liberal arts collection cannot own everything, the library participates in multi-institutional partnerships to maximize and expand access to resources through Interlibrary Loan, and key consortia partnerships including the Carleton/St. Olaf Bridge Consortium, HathiTrust, and the Center for Research Libraries.

For more information about general collections see Collection Management Principles and Strategies.

Research Databases

Books

  • General Collection
    Our general book collection is located on floors 1, 2, and 3
  • Ebooks
    Find details in our Ebooks at Carleton Guide.
  • Current Reading
    Located on the 4th floor in the Rookery, the Current Reading is where you’ll find recently added popular fiction and non-fiction titles. For popular e-books and audiobooks, browse OverDrive@Carleton.
  • Children’s Books
    A collection of current and classic children’s picture books is located on the 4th floor in the Rookery.
  • Faculty Publications
    Books written by Carleton faculty are shelved in the Athenaeum on the 4th floor. 
  • Reference
    Encyclopedias and other reference works are shelved on the 4th floor. Online reference resources are available via our Database list.

Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers

View a list of our journals, magazines, and newspapers.

Print journals are shelved in compact shelving on the 3rd floor.

Several popular magazines and key newspapers are available on the 4th floor in the Rookery.  To browse and read our electronic popular magazines, try Flipster, an easy-to-use, digital magazine newsstand for your mobile device.

Data and Statistics

For more information, see Gould Library Research Data Services.

Government Documents

Gould Library participates in a federal government program to receive a select number of government publications in print. Many more current and historical documents are available online through open access. To learn more, see the Research Guide for Government Documents.

Movies, TV, and Music

The Gould Library has an extensive collection of feature films, documentaries, instructional videos, news programs, experimental films and videos and much more.

Our collections are searchable through Catalyst as well as through our streaming media collections. More information for finding and using media is available on the Research Guide for Movies, TV, and Music.

Maps

The Gould Library has both online maps and printed maps. If you’re looking for maps, start with our Research Guide for Maps.

Microfilm Collections

These are housed in the Microfilm Collection located in the center of the 3rd floor. For more information, see our Research Guide for Microfilm at Carleton.