To locate books, try GW Library Search - Advanced Search using the term sociology. Add other search terms in the additional search boxes that relate to your topic. More specific examples might include:
social conditions AND children
teenagers AND family relationships
poverty AND United States
substance abuse AND prevention
homelessness AND government policy
alcoholism AND employment
child abuse AND history
women AND crimes against
sex role AND work
deviant behavior AND labeling theory
Books on sociology may be found in these call number ranges:
HM: General Sociology
HN: Social History & Problems
HQ: Women, Family
HS: Societies
HT: Communities, Classes, Races
HV: Social pathology, Public Welfare, Criminology
Books in these ranges are located on the 5th floor of Gelman. See the "Gelman Stacks Map" to the left.