I want the shape of the subject before anything else.
Start with the ground
Begin with the broadest title in the catalog and read the record before the book: series, formats located, and what the catalog does and does not claim.
Open the catalogReading path
A reading path organises the library by intent — topic, pace, and format. It is not advice. It does not assess you, it asks nothing of you, and it produces no guidance about dosage, treatment, safety, suitability, or legality in your jurisdiction.
I want the shape of the subject before anything else.
Begin with the broadest title in the catalog and read the record before the book: series, formats located, and what the catalog does and does not claim.
Open the catalogI already have a specific question and want the narrow shelf.
Use the series and topic records to cut the catalog down. A narrower shelf is a better answer than a longer one, and the record will tell you where it stops.
Browse by recordI want to sit with something rather than research it.
Choose by pace and format rather than by topic. The current study is written to be read in one sitting; the catalog is written to be returned to.
Read the current studyWhere the paths land