🔎Getting Started

Use the CHS Library Catalog to search for books.

• Find books by title, author, subject, or keyword

• Place books on hold or request

• Check what’s available in the library

Library Catalog:

CHS Library Catalog

Search by Title

Put the exact title in the search bar.

Examples:

• The Hunger Games

• Long Way Down

Best for:
✅ Finding a specific book

Search by Author

Search using the author’s name.

Examples:

• Jason Reynolds

• Elizabeth Acevedo

Best for:
✅ Finding books by a favorite author

🎯Helpful Search Tricks

Use Filters

After searching, use filters to narrow results:

• Format (Book, eBook, Audiobook)

• Availability

• Author

• Subject

• Audience/Reading Level

Use Specific Keywords

Instead of:
❌ war

Try:
✅ World War II
✅ civil rights movement
✅ mental health for teens

Try Different Words

If you don’t find what you need, change your search terms.

Example:

• “college” → “universities”

• “jobs” → “careers”

• “sadness” → “depression”

📍Understanding Results

Look for:

• Title

• Author

• Call Number → tells you where the book is located

• Status→ in/out 

  • Available/in = ready to check out

  • Out = currently borrowed

💡Search Ideas

Looking for something fun to read?

Try searching:

• mystery

• romance

• fantasy

• sports fiction

• manga

• horror

• Always place your requests on the CHS Catalog or MBLN Catalog, not BPL. 

  • • • BPL does not give the option to ship items to BPS libraries. 

      • The CHS/MBLN (Metro Boston Library Network) allows you to choose materials from a wider network of libraries, including BPL.

• We receive book deliveries on Mondays only; please order materials early in the week in order to get them by the following week (barring a holiday or inclement weather).

• Download the Sora app, for all your eBook/audiobook needs. 

  • • • Log in with your BPS email and password or access it through your Clever account.

      • The app allows you to add local libraries (from the menu) and read from their collection.