#usingyourlibrary

In addition to this guide, your library and librarians can be a great resource for looking for scholarship information and money for college.  

To make the most out of your local library:

1. Check out books and e-books on scholarships. This post is a good starting point to find books on scholarships and finding money for college, but your local library may have hundreds of more options. 

TIP #1: When searching for books in an online catalog, use search terms like:

Scholarships

Financial Aid

Try to search by “keyword.” When searching on your local library’s website, there is typically a “search by” dropdown box. By searching by keyword, you will find books about scholarships that do not have “scholarship” in their title.

TIP #2: Look for books published in the last 5-10 years for overall scholarship tips, and for those big books listing a lot of scholarships, look for editions published in the last 1-3 years, the more recent the better.

On many library search engines, you have the option to filter your search by publication year. Look for these options and only select the most recent years to narrow your search. 

TIP #3: If you are looking for scholarship books while standing in the library, look for books in the non-fiction sections, both the adult and the teen nonfiction areas (if your library has these separated). Scholarship books are typically filed around the 378.3 call number. Look for signs leading you to the 370s, and then narrow your search until you find the shelves locating scholarship materials. 

2. Talk to your librarians. Really, we are here to help, and we don’t bite. The librarians will know what kinds of resources are available, including possible local scholarships, and will be able to find more for you, including books, websites, and databases. 

TIP: If you are struggling to find many good books, ask a librarian to help you reserve some. They will have a good idea which books in the catalog are most helpful, and they can even help you reserve books from other library systems through InterLibrary Loans.