Earth and Soil Sciences

Finding Books

PolyCAT
PolyCAT is the library's online catalog. It includes entries for books, titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers, senior projects, audiovisual materials, maps, and government documents. Using keyword type in your topic. If you do not get results, try a broader topic that would include what you are searching for. If Cal Poly does not own the book(s) you are looking for, click on the LINK+ button on the PolyCAT result screen.
LINK+
LINK+ is a consortium of academic and public libraries that allows you to check for a book we do not own and self-initiate an interlibrary loan request for a book in the Link+ system.
MELVYL
MELVYL is the catalog for the University of California system. We only have access to the library catalogs of the various campuses. Any book titles you find on MELVYL need to checked in PolyCAT before initiating an Interlibrary Loan Request.
WorldCat
A database of various formats (books, maps, internet, etc.) that can provide additional titles for your research.

Finding Articles

Biological & Agricultural Index
A database of selected core journals in agriculture and biology. Language of all the journals is English. The database indexes materials beginning in 1983. No abstracts. Cal Poly owns a high percentage of the journals indexed.
AGRICOLA
AGRICOLA is comprehensive database produced by the National Agricultural Library. The database indexes materials beginning in 1970. Some of the records include abstracts. The database includes formats besides journal articles. One can limit by date, language, and format.
CAB Direct
An international database of agriculture รณ related topics. Database goes back to 1972. The records include abstracts. . Other formats are included besides journal articles. One can limit by date, language, and format.
Science Direct (online articles)
A searchable database of online articles. Not all of the citations will include the full-text. Not all full-text links will provide the full-text.
General Science Abstracts
An index to start searching for topics in biological sciences, chemistry, geology, physics, medicine, etc. Language of all the journals is English. The database indexes materials beginning in1984 and includes abstracts. Cal Poly owns many of the journals indexed.
GeoRef
GeoRef is a comprehensive geoscience database produced by the American Geological Institute. Other formats are included besides journal articles. North American geology is covered from 185. World geology is covered from 1933.
FInd It
"Find It" will allow you to go from a citation to obtaining the article as full-text, available in the Library or online through PolyCAT, or to make an Interlibrary Loan Request.

Soil Science Selected Resources

Soil Survey Maps
Soil Survey Maps for California. Located in the Microforms Room, Reference Department, 1st floor, Library. Organized alphabetically by County.
Selected Federal Government Sites
Soils
(USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) Gateway to soils information.

Technical References

GIS and Mapping Earth Sciences Resources

Associations, Organizations, Societies

Earth Sciences Resources

Geology or Geological Maps
Geology or Geological Maps are searchable in Polycat. Enter keywords: location and (geology or geological) and Format: maps. F.Map as part of the call number means the map is located in the filing cabinets in the Microforms Room, Reference Department, 1st floor, Library. San Luis Obispo County maps are located on the Documents Ready Reference shelves next to the Reference Desk.

Federal Government Sites

State of California

Associations, Organizations, Societies