The library's online catalog is the place to search the physical collection at Dugan library (books, print journals, DVDs, etc.).
Keep your search terms more basic than you would in an article database or Google. Generally search for one or two broad topics.
Does Dugan Library not have the book you are looking for? No problem. Interlibrary loan is a service that Dugan Library offers for free for all Newman students, staff, and faculty to get copies of books, articles, and media from other libraries. See the Interlibrary Loan page for more information.
Books and eBooks can serve a variety of important purposes. Because of their length, books often go into greater detail than other sources and provide great background information. In certain fields, such as history, academic books (monographs) are the primary form of scholarly writing. There are also reference materials, such as style guides or Bible commentaries and concordances, that provide important guidance to research and writing.
Given their longer production times, books less likely to provide the most current information, but keep in mind that recency is not always a very relevant factor (not only are the writings of Shakespeare and Plato relevant even if hundreds of years old, but commentary about the Shakespearean literature or Platonic philosophy are unlikely to become irrelevant merely due to age).