Library Research Strategies HS300-25: Civil Rights Movement Prof. Karen Miller Michelle Baildon

Tell Me, Please: –How do I get the library information I need at O’Neill?... at BC?... in Boston?... in the world (online and otherwise)? –How do I get primary and secondary sources? –You’ll need the right tools

Let’s Get to Know the BC Libraries’ Web Site  Remember: Michelle’s Home Page (okay, not technically part of the BC Libraries site) Library home page: –Quick Searches –Research Help Subject specialists Research Guides How do I... ?How do I Tutorials [CHECK OUT THE QUEST TUTORIAL]TutorialsQUEST TUTORIAL –Resources Online Databases Electronic Journals WorldCat

Different Tools Find Different Things Catalogs: Everything a library holds Union catalogs: Everything that many libraries hold (see WorldCat)WorldCat Indexes: Show you where to find specific articles –Take you down another level of specificity Finding aids: Manuscripts and archival records These and other tools all go by the alias “database”

Using Quest (Again, check out the Quest tutorial: ) Basic search: Good for title, author, keyword Use keywords to get LC subject heading “Boolean logic” (a.k.a. “and” & “or”) Advanced search: –Combine searches –Limit by language, format, library Remember... Use these strategies with other catalogs and databases!

Using Quest (cont.) Requesting checked-out books or in- process books Create lists, save records Other catalogs: Journal Titles; Course Reserves Check Quest Help!

Scholarly Journal Articles What is a scholarly journal? –Contains articles by academics –Peer-reviewed They’re both digital and print (and microfilm... )

Finding Journal Articles: Tell Me How The Old-Fashioned Way: Step 1: Use an index or database to find an article title –Some key indexes: America: History & Life International Index to Black Periodicals Step 2: Find the journal in QuestQuest

Shortcut #1:  Use full-text journal databases Some key full-text databases: –JSTORJSTOR –Project MuseProject Muse Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier

Shortcut #2:  Look for the Find It Icon You’re in a database and have found an article you want. How do you get it? Easiest way? Click on Find It. Find It will tell you: –Does BC have the article in full text online? –... Or is it in print in the libraries? –... Or can you get it through interlibrary loan? More on FindIt: Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier

Shortcut #3:  If you know exactly what you’re looking for, use Citation Linker on the E-Journals PageCitation LinkerE-Journals Page  Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier

Finding Primary Sources  See the guide to Finding Primary Sources Finding Primary Sources Print sources –Use Quest and WorldCatQuestWorldCat Digitized sources –See Research Guides, Online Databases Page, QuestResearch GuidesOnline Databases PageQuest –Think critically about free Internet sources Microfilm –Use Quest Advanced Search and limit to microfilmQuest –Newspapers: See Newspapers Research Guide and Newspapers Collection pageNewspapers Research Guide Newspapers Collection Archival sources –Archival Resources, ArchivesUSAArchival ResourcesArchivesUSA

What if BC Doesn’t Have It? Try Interlibrary loan (ILL)ILL Use your Boston Library Consortium (BLC) cardBLC WorldCat can be helpful hereWorldCat

Some General Tips Get leads from footnotes and bibliographies in books and articles Use call numbers to browse the stacks for similar books

Want help from a real person? Contact Michelle Baildon, Shari Grove, or other subject specialistsMichelle Baildon,Shari Grove Visit or call (2-4472) the Reference Desk during these hourshours or online chat (Ask 24/7) reference help online chat