For a college class, you would not want to use Sparknotes or Cliffnotes for a paper or presentation. To help you understand a literary work, log in to GALILEO, and select one of the literature databases, such as Literature Resource Center or Literary Reference Center. Then search for your chosen literary work by title. In each of these databases, you will see a tab that reads "Overview". Click on this tab and you will then be able to read summaries of the work that will provide you with a better understanding of the themes, characters, historical setting, as well as biographical information about the author.