Start with a KEYWORD search based on your topic.
SUBJECT HEADINGS:
When searching for books, pay close attention to the subject headings and use them to find more books on that topic. Subject headings are linked: clicking on one will take you to a list of similar subject headings, ones that are broader or narrower in scope.
Try using using your keywords as subjects.
Academic libraries use Library of Congress Subject Headings. The language used may be outdated and may not match current scholarship.
Useful subject headings:
Early English Books Online (EEBO)
African American Women Writers of the 19th Century