| Research path: find more information
A number of disciplines now have subject guides created by librarians. If there is a guide for your area of interest, it can serve as a starting point for research on a more specific topic.
- Research guides
- Finding books
- Finding videos
- Finding articles
- Finding web sites
Finding books | back to top
- Why? Books provide in-depth coverage of topics and usually include a bibliography of further sources to consult. The St. Norbert College library collection contains over 250,000 volumes.
- How? Use the online catalog to find out what books we own. Books can be searched in a number of ways, including author and title. The most comprehensive way to search is by “keyword.” This approach allows you to enter one or more words which relate to your topic. Books are found which contain these words in the title, subject headings, contents notes or as an author.
- Where? Books are shelved by call number. Understanding the Dewey Decimal System.
Note: To identify books the St. Norbert College library doesn't own, use WorldCat, a catalog of books held by libraries around the country and around the world. Titles found in these catalogs can usually be requested on document delivery (also known as interlibrary loan).
Finding videos | back to top
- Why? Videos provide visual information as a complement to printed sources. The library owns over 1,000 videos in many areas related to the curriculum plus several hundred popular films.
- How? Do a keyword search in the online catalog, then limit your search to Location: St. Norbert-Media Services. (If you are interested in finding a movie simply for entertainment, search using the subject heading “Feature Films.”)
- Where? Videos are kept in Media Services, 223 John Minahan Science Hall.
Finding articles | back to top
- Why? Articles give very current and concise information They report news, opinion and research. Articles can be either popular or scholarly in nature and contain both primary and secondary information. Publications containing articles include newspapers and magazines (also referred to as journals, periodicals or serials).
- How? Use one or more of the library’s databases. Many databases have the full text of the articles. In other instances, the database will provide a summary (abstract) of the article. The journal itself may be in the library. Search for the journal title in the online catalog to see if we own it.
- Where? Those journals the library subscribes to in paper are shelved by title on the first floor. In some cases, older issues may be bound (in the first floor stacks), in storage in the basement or preserved in microform (in cabinets on the first floor). The catalog will indicate the particular format for the specific issue needed.
Finding web sites | back to top
- Why? Web sites provide current and specialized information, often from organizations and government agencies as well as individuals. The quality of the information provided on web sites can vary greatly. See Evaluate Your Information.
- How? Use a published guide to web sites in your field (found through the online catalog), an online directory (such as Yahoo) or a search engine such as Google.
- Where? Web sites can be found on our research pages.
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