SHORT STORY LOCATOR
A Central Library Reference Guide
How do I find a particular short story?
If you know the author's name, first look for a book of collected works by the author, which may contain the story. You can find these books by looking up the writer's name in the author section of the Library's catalog.
If you don't know the author's name, you can search for a book containing the story by doing a keyword search in the Library's catalog. Select keyword. Select search everything. Type words from the story's title in the box, and click the search button. Your results may list items containing the story you're trying to find. If an item has an SS call number, or one in the 800 range (800 or 813, for example), it's likely to contain your story. Click the details button, then catalog record to see if your story is listed. Be aware that your search results may contain items not relevant to the story, and due to catalog irregularities, keyword searching may not always reveal a book containing the story you're looking for, even though the Library owns the book. So if neither an author nor a keyword search in the Library's catalog provides your story, don't give up hope. One of the following resources can be the key to finding it.
Use a short story index to determine the author's name, or to find an anthology of stories in which your story appears. Then search in the catalog for books by the author that may contain the story or for the specific anthology by title. The following book indexes are located in the reference area on the 2nd floor.
| Short Story Index |
R 016.80831 Sh |
| Reference Guide to Short Fiction |
R 809.31 Re |
| Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index |
R 016.8093876 Sc (v.1&2) |
| Index to Science Fiction Anthologies |
R 016.8130876 Co |
| Index to American Short Story Award Collections |
R 016.8130108 Ke |
| Index to best American Short Stories and O. Henry Prize Stories |
R 016.8130108 Wh |
| You may find a summary of the story you need in the following source: |
| Masterplots II Short Story Series |
R 809.3 Ma |
On the Internet, typing the story name into a general web search engine like the one at Google (www.google.com) can sometimes yield results. But there are several web indexes that may be more useful in locating the story, and sometimes provide a link to the full story text.
eBooks: Fiction: Short Stories, Tales, Sketches
Most of the stories linked to this page from various sources are free, but some require payment.
Short Stories
Contains complete texts in the categories of fiction, science fiction and fantasy, horror, romance, humor, non-fiction, crime, and children. Includes many classics, but the site also solicits and posts new stories. Browse by category or search by keyword. Also includes monthly featured stories and links to literary sites.
Short Story File
Access this index of stories in collections in the Los Angeles Public Library from any Internet computer. Find titles of anthologies or collections, then look them up in our catalog to see if the Austin Public Library system owns them.
Index to Science Fiction Anthologies
This website, accessible from any Internet computer, combines and enhances information contained in the 2-volume set in our 2nd floor Reference collection.
The Locus Index to Science Fiction
Mystery Short Fiction: 1990-2002 An Index to Mystery Magazines, Anthologies, and Single-Author Collections
Use NetLibrary Electronic Books to search for stories. Create a free account or log in if you're a returning user, then do an 'advanced search' with your story title as 'keyword'. You may also do a search by just typing the phrase 'short stories' defined as a 'subject' to see all the story collections in Austin Public Library's NetLibrary collection and browse through them. Other search possibilities and combinations are available via the dropdown boxes.
How do I find a short story on a particular topic?
| Thematic Guide to Popular Short Stories |
R 809.31 Sm |
| The 'Index to Themes' at the end of the book directs the user to pages that describe a story dealing with the subject listed, along with at least one book containing the story. Most of these books are available at Austin Public Library. |
| The Facts on File Companion to the American Short Story |
R 813.0103 Fa |
| Appendix II at the end of the book contains lists of stories grouped by general theme and topic. |
The Columbia Companion to
the Twentieth-Century American Short Story |
R 813.010905 Co |
| The thematic essays in part 1 of this book discuss a few broad categories of stories and mention authors and story titles. |
If you need help interpreting a short story, see the Literary Criticism reference guide. For further assistance, see a librarian.
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