1. Introduction to Library Research
Gabriela Scherrer
Reference Librarian for English Languages and Literatures, University Library of Bern

2. You want an introduction to library research because you need to
understand the differences between library catalogs, and databases
select information sources appropriate for a particular need
understand the various steps in the research process
know standard research techniques for searching library catalogs and electronic databases
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3. Library catalogs
So... what is a library catalog, anyway? The library catalog connects you to everything owned by a particular library or its branches.
Access to our catalog via the University Library of Bern home page:
You will find a search box on the home page of our website executing a search in our catalog swissbib Basel/Bern.
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4. Library catalogs
Your starting point for a book research is the online catalog swissbib Basel Bern. This is a union catalog from the universities of Basel and Berne. Both main libraries, including many institute and faculty libraries, list their collections in this catalog.
The other catalog mentioned here, IDS Basel Bern, basically contains the same material as swissbib Basel Bern and offers some very practical functionalities, e.g. a browse search that swissbib lacks. But IDS Basel Bern does NOT provide records for journal articles and for most of our e-books.
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5. Library catalogs
Below the link to swissbib Basel Bern you will find the link to IDS Basel Bern. It is a somewhat old-fashioned tool, but the browse search can be very useful. Moreover, the majority of or e-book collection does not appear in this catalog.
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6. Library catalogs Choose the language of the interface.
swissbib offers a general keyword search and an advanced search. The general keyword search will in most cases be the appropriate search for you.
A keyword search is the easiest search if you need material on a particular topic, and it will typically give you the most results. In the general keyword search, the catalog matches your terms with words found in the title, author, subject, or table of contents fields of the record.
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7. Library catalogs
The tab Books & more contains books, journals, and other materials held by the participating libraries in Basel and Berne.
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8. Library catalogs
The tab Articles & more lists the content of e-journals, e-books and databases licensed by the university libraries of Basel and/or Bern. In most cases you have access to the full text if you are on campus of the university or logged in via VPN. Free online ressources are also included.
This tab does not replace research in databases. It simply offers a quick and easy possibility to find articles and book chapters that pertain to your topic.
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9. Basic library terminology
Books, journals
listed in library catalogs
Journal articles, articles in books
listed in databases and printed bibliographies
In general, a library catalog does not contain records for articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals. The catalog lists the journal or newspaper and will tell which issues of a periodical the library owns and where to find those issues.
To find journal articles, you need to use a special resource called an article or bibliographic database. However, as shown before, swissbib Basel Bern offers you a selection of articles on your topic.
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10. Basic library terminology
Keyword
Subject term
Word contained in the bibliographical description
Topic or focus of a book or an article
A keyword is a word or words that may be found in the title, abstract, or full text of the article. The keyword may or may not be the subject of the article.
A subject is the topic or focus of an article. A subject term may or may not be a keyword.  
HINT: Refine your search by using the subject areas appearing on the left hand side of your results window.
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11. Basic library terminology
Thesaurus
provides standardized vocabulary in specific subject areas
preferred terms – non-preferred terms, semantic relations
Subject headings/descriptors
indexing terms that identify the contents reported in articles
Thesaurus: A list of subject headings used in a particular database. Some databases have sophisticated thesauri that provide cross-references. Some thesauri also include a description of the term, and a list of broader, narrower, and related terms.
Subject headings or descriptors: indexing terms that identify the contents reported in an article. Articles that have similar content will have the same subject headings even if the authors of the articles used different terms to describe the topic.
The subject area facet terms in swissbib are extracted from the standardized indexing terms used in German speaking Europe. Using them helps you to focus your search and get reliable results.
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12. Basic library terminology
Boolean connectors
The Boolean connectors AND, OR, and NOT are often used to combine keywords when searching electronic databases. The use of these operators can make your search more focused, thus yielding more precise search results.
The most common operators and their effects are shown in the diagrams above:
A search for rock AND roll will locate all records containing both the word "rock" and the word "roll". It will locate items about rock and roll music. It might also locate records that contain both words in a different context, such as "It recommends you roll the rock quickly."
A search for rock OR roll will locate all records containing either the word "rock" or the word "roll" -- not necessarily both. It will retrieve items about bakery rolls, tumbling, rocks, music, gemstones, etc.
A search for rock NOT roll will locate records containing the word "rock" but not the word "roll" . It will retrieve items about rocks, gemstones, diamonds, etc. Keep in mind that a search for rock NOT roll will return different records than the search roll NOT rock.
The connectors AND and NOT limit your search (decrease the number of hits) and the connector OR expands it (increases the number of hits). So the following strategies naturally follow:
If you are retrieving too many records on your topic, try adding another search term with the connector AND.
If you are retrieving too many records on an unrelated topic, try eliminating a word with the connector NOT
If you are retrieving too few records on your topic, try adding another search term with the connector OR.
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13. Basic library terminology
Truncation
a symbol used to replace letters at the ends of words
psychol* will return records on psychology, psychological, psychologist
Wildcards
a symbol used to replace letters within words
wom#n retrieves woman and women
Wildcards: embedded within a word to replace a single character. You can use this symbol to search variant spellings of a word.
Truncation: Added to the stem of a word, it will find that stem plus anything that comes after it. The symbol used to truncate a word depends upon the index, database, or Web search engine you are using.
Be careful using truncation! If you want to retrieve items about cats, don't truncate the word cat. If you do, you will also retrieve cataclysm, catacomb, catalepsy, catalog, etc., etc. It's best to use the boolean operator OR in these instances (cat or cats).
Common truncation symbols and wildcards are: ! ? * $
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14. Research in databases LABEL YOUR TOPIC CHOOSE KEY WORDS
CHOOSE DATABASES
Keyword and subject searches are two different things, and both are part of an effective strategy for searching databases: 1. Begin with a keyword search by entering words that describe the information you are seeking. 2. Once you have some results, look at the records to see what subject headings the database uses. 3. Revise your search using the appropriate subject terms
When conducting a search, break down the topic into key concepts.
Before you begin a search, you need to label your topic with its favorite jargon. Make your key words as specific as possible:
Check your spelling
Refine or broaden your search as needed
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15. Research in databases ! Use the HELP section !
Use a keyword search in order to find descriptors and subject terms
Use the thesaurus, descriptors, and subject terms
Tools:
Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)
wildcards
truncation
All databases have a HELP section. The HELP screen can assist the user in learning how a particular database works. In the long term, this saves your time and energy.
! Use the HELP section !
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16. How to access databases
The Campus of Berne computers provide access to many electronic resources, including subscription databases
The easiest way to access the databases of the campus Berne is via the so called Fachinformationsseiten. This section will directly link you to electronic sources available in and through the library.
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17. Fachinformationen Anglistik/Amerikanistik
Four heavily used databases in the subject area appear with direct links.
In order to find the link to the list of all databases available in this subject area you have to scroll far down the page.
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18. Fachinformationen Anglistik/Amerikanistik
List of all available databases on English languages and literatures.
Yellow squares indicate that the database is accessible on campus computers only, green squares indicate free access from any computer.
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19. MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association of America)
Literature, language and linguistics, literary theory, etc.
Covers 1926 onward online
Journal articles and books
International coverage
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20. Project MUSE (Modern Language Association of America)
Online access to a comprehensive selection of prestigious humanities and social sciences journals
Most articles available in both HTML and PDF
Many popular indexing/abstracting services and e-journal gateways, as well as JSTOR, are seamlessly linked to MUSE content
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21. Web of Science: SSCI and AHCI
Social Science Citation Index: 1956 to present
Arts and Humanities Citation Index: 1975 to present
Contain the references cited by the authors of the articles
Journal articles
Web of Science consists of seven databases containing information gathered from thousands of scholarly journals, books, book series, reports, conferences, and more.
You can use these references to do cited reference searching. This type of search allows you to find articles that cite a previously published work.
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22. ERIC Access to educational-related literature in various subjects
Corresponds to two printed journals: Resources in Education (RIE) and Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE)
Coverage: 1965-
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23. JSTOR (Journal Storage)
Complete full-text backfiles (including accompanying charts, graphs, equations, and pictures) of core scholarly journals in a wide variety of humanities and social science disciplines
Date coverage: from vol. 1 (often from the 1800s), excluding the latest 3-5 years
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24. BLLDB (Bibliography of Linguistic Literature Database)
General linguistics, English, German and Romance linguistics
Journal articles, articles of conference proceedings, monographs, dissertations, festschrifts
Subject classification in English and German
Coverage: 1971-
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25. Finding literature on African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
Search example
Finding literature on African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
Our topic is African American Vernacular English.
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26. CHOOSE DATABASES: MLA, Web of Science, BLLDB
Search example
LABEL YOUR TOPIC: African American Vernacular English
CHOOSE KEY WORDS: African American Vernacular English, Black English
CHOOSE DATABASES: MLA, Web of Science, BLLDB
Begin with a keyword search.
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27. Search example
Our search tool for databases is another way to access MLA.
Remember the other two possibilities: via Fachinformationsseite Anglistik/Amerikanistik (direct link at the top of page) or via the link to the database list (at the bottom of the page)
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28. Search example
Choose MLA International Bibliography.
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29. Search example
You can enter via SWITCHaai (your campus account login) from any computer without using a VPN.
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30. By default your guided to the Advanced Search screen: lets you create a search with limiters, expanders, and Boolean operators.
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31. Trial and error method: type African American Vernacular English: 103 hits.
Have a look at one complete record that covers the subject you are interested in order to see the descriptors (example: hit no. 1).
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32. The MLA database provides descriptors: Black English dialect is used for African-American Vernacular English. By clicking on the descriptors, the system prepares a new search.
Carry out the new search with the descriptor.
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33. Limit your results to publication between 2000 and 2015
Limit your results to publication between 2000 and You get 511 results.
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34. Thesaurus
The thesaurus is an authority file of a controlled vocabulary. It assists in more effectively searching the MLA database.
Subject headings, as well as cross-references terms, assist in finding the most appropriate keywords for your search.
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35. Thesaurus
You can browse the thesaurus alphabetically, or as Relevancy Ranked (the exact match for the term appears first followed by a list of terms displayed in order of relevance).
Please note that in order to browse the thesaurus you have to use the lower search field. The upper search field creates a basic search in the database!
Click on the term to view the authority record. It lists the preferred term, as well as narrower and broader terms. These help to further focus your key words, if your search failed to yield the desired results.
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36. So far, you Recapitulation
have seen the various steps in the research process
understand the differences between searching library catalogs, and databases
are able to use basic research techniques for searching library catalogs and electronic databases
One important part is missing: How to get hold of the books and articles that you have found.
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37. When you see the SFX logo, click on it!
Ordering via SFX
- links to the full text of an article
automated searching of the library catalog for print or electronic holding
link to the interlibrary loan form
When you see the SFX logo,          
click on it!
One important finding aid is SFX. SFX is a linking technology.
Before SFX, once you had a citation for an article, you then needed to consult multiple sources to check the availability of the article. In the new system, SFX automatically displays all the options you have to locate the article and provides direct links from a database citation to the full text of the article and automated searching of our catalog for our print or electronic holdings or a link to the interlibrary loan request form.
When you see SFX in an electronic resource, simply click on the button to see a menu of options for the citation of interest.
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38. Linked Full Text
To find out if the full text of a journal article is available, click on the SFX button. You will be guided to an SFX menu that shows the services for the specific citation.
SFX service options will vary from citation to citation.

39. Linked Full Text
SFX service options will vary from citation to citation. In our example, full text is provided by two platforms. You can choose either one of them.

40. Book Article
If there is no SFX button, the citation refers to a book article. For technical reasons, book articles in MLA are not equipped with SFX buttons. You have to consult swissbib Basel Bern.
The book Talking Appalachian is available in the UB Bern.

41. E-Journalsliste Access to scientific and academic full text journals
The E-Journalsliste offers fast, structured and standardized access to scientific and academic full text journals.
Normally, electronic journals are listed in swissbib Basel Bern. However, due to frequent changes in our subscription packages , these listings are not completely reliable.
A fully reliable list of electronic journals available on the Campus of Berne is the E-Journalsliste. You have to check the E-Journalsliste to be sure whether a journal is available on the Campus of Berne or not.
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42. E-Journalsliste
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43. Off-campus access to databases
VPN Client Software
 secure connection from a remote site to the Campus of Berne across the internet.
Further information:
Access to fee-based subscription databases is provided from computers of the Campus of Berne only. This means that you cannot access fee-based subscription databases from home or from your notebook (except if the database provides a shibboleth login).
Arrangements for off campus access to databases can be made through the Informatikdienste of the University of Berne. They offer the so-called VPN-client.
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and provides a secure connection from a remote site to the Campus of Berne across the Internet. VPN is a solution that will give authorized remote users the same full access to campus resources that on-campus users enjoy. There is a web version of the client as well, so you don‘t have to download a software on your computer.
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44. University Library of Bern
Universitätsbibliothek Bern
University Library of Bern
Human and Social Sciences
vonRoll Library
Medicine and Sciences
Bühlplatz Library FBB
Arts & Humanities and Theology
Basisbibliothek Unitobler BTO
The UB Bern is a system comprised of 39 libraries grouped in five units according to the faculties of the university. Most of them are located in the Länggasse-Quartier.
Courier Services
We maintain a daily courier between the departmental libraries. This service is free of charge. Between Münstergasse Library, BTO and vonRoll Library, the courier runs twice a day.
Furthermore, there is a daily courier service between UB Basel – UB Bern - ZB Zürich – ZHB Luzern – UB St. Gallen (Fr per item).
More information on the UB home page.
Münstergasse Library
Law and Economics
JBB

45. Universitätsbibliothek Bern
Münstergasse Library
After more than two years of construction work, the library building at Münstergasse is ready to receive visitors.
The Münstergasse library in the Bernese old town is the location for borrowing, renewing and returning items, paying fines, finding information, and asking questions about using the library and its resources. In addition to the Schultheissensaal, it offers a new two story reading room, a reading room for the historic collection, group study rooms and an exhibition in the vaulted cellar in which originals from the historic collection are displayed. In the new Café Lesbar an appetizing selection of food and drink is available.

46. Introduction to Library Research
More questions?
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