Books cover any topic, and are written in a range of styles. Books collected in college libraries are generally collected because they are considered to be relevant and useful to the academic community, but even in library collections you'll find books written in a range of styles, intended for different kinds of audiences.
Both physical books and electronic books are listed in the library catalog. Ebooks may be read online, and many can be downloaded to a digital device. Ask a librarian for advice if you encounter problems accessing any digital content.
You will likely use many different kinds of books in your research (textbooks, reference books, fiction, etc). When you use the library catalog for research, please keep in mind that some of our books are in electronic formats, some are in the shelves, and not all books can be checked out. When using books for research, look for clues to let you know what kind of book you're using (kind of publisher, author's credentials, publications date, etc).
Use books when you are looking for in-depth or extensive information and about a topic.