An author search looks for a personal name, organization, conference, or government body.

Personal names include authors, editors, illustrators, composers, etc.
If you know the author's name choose the Author(Last Name First) search option. Type author's last name followed by first initial. Omit accent marks and all other punctuation (including commas) in the author's name.

• To find books by Charles Dickens, type dickens c
• To find books by John Dos Passos, type dos passos j
• To find books by Ruth St. Denis, type st denis r
• To find books by J.R.R. Tolkien, type tolkien j
• To find books by Malcolm X , type x m
• To find books by Miranda Weston-Smith, type weston-smith m or weston smith m

TIP : For common last names, type the entire first name rather than just the first initial.

If you are unsure of the author's name try the Author Keywords search option.

Names of organizations and institutions can be searched as authors.

• For items authored by IEEE, type institute of electrical and electronics engineers
• For items authored by The International Society for Music Education, type international society for music education

• For the conference of European Congress of Cardiology, type european congress of cardiology
• For the White House Conference on Aging, type white house conference on aging

Government bodies , subcommittees, departments and offices can be searched as authors.

• For items by the Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce, type buffalo area chamber of commerce
• For items by UNESCO, type unesco
• For items by the United States Congress Senate Committee on Finance, type united states congress senate committee on finance
• For items by the Canadian Environmental Advisory, type canadian environmental advisory

TIP : You must use the abbreviation dept when you search for government departments.

• For items by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, type united states dept of health and human services