Library Research Strategies HS 971: Seminar on Nineteenth- Century American History Prof. Kevin Kenny 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

First Things First: Important Web Sites Michelle’s Home Page: –This presentation –Course resource guide –Basic skill guides Library home page: –Make it your starting point for research! –Quick Searches Quest Quick Search: Remember: This is a “Keyword Anywhere” search, not a Title search!! CrossSearch (formerly known as MetaQuest) –Research Help –Resources  The Online Databases page is key

Finding Information at BC: Use Quest Quest is BC Libraries’ catalog  This means it is a database of everything the BC Libraries own or subscribe to Use it for both primary and secondary sources It does not list journal articles (we’ll get to finding those later)

Using Quest: Keywords vs. Subjects Keywords: –Words normal people would think of –Can appear ANYWHERE in the record (title, author, subject, publisher, notes, blah blah blah) Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): –“Officially sanctioned” by the Library of Congress, you will never guess them on your own –Only appear in the “Subject” section Use keywords or titles to figure out subject headings Remember... Use this strategy with other catalogs and databases!

Using Quest: Basic vs. Advanced Search Basic search: Good for title, author, keyword Advanced search: –Combine searches –Choose “word” or “phrase” –Limit by language, format, library Remember... Use this strategy with other catalogs and databases too!

Using Quest: Some Practicalities Requesting checked-out books, in-process books, on-order books Use the Journal Titles Catalog for magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals Use “Sign in to Your Account” to view loans, renew books, request Law School books, etc. Want more? Check out Quest Help and the Quest tutorial: quest1/ quest1/

Finding Information Beyond BC: Use a Union Catalog WorldCat –A “union catalog” is kind of like a database of everything that’s out there –For both primary and secondary sources OK, now how do I get it? –Try Interlibrary loan (ILL)ILL –Use your Boston Library Consortium (BLC) cardBLC

Secondary Sources Beyond Books: 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: Historical Abstracts America: History & Life Step 2: Find the journal in QuestQuest

How do I find Historical Abstracts or America: History & Life? First: Go to the Online Databases Page

Then: Either find the database by title, or else open the History databases page

Shortcut #1:  Use full-text journal databases Some key full-text databases [find them on the Online Databases page]: –JSTORJSTOR –Project MuseProject Muse These don’t have subjects! You’re searching the articles line-by-line They are less comprehensive than indexes 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 Page Citation LinkerE-Journals Page Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier

Remember: 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”

Finding Information at BC & Beyond: 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

There’s More to Research than Library Tools We love library tools, but sometimes informal approaches work better: Get leads from footnotes and bibliographies in books and articles Use call numbers to browse the stacks for similar books

I Need Help  Library home page: Research Help –Subject specialists Subject specialists List of contacts in all disciplines –Research Guides Research Guides Comprehensive lists of print and electronic resources in different subjects –How do I... ? How do I... ? Frequently asked questions in library research –Tutorials Tutorials [CHECK OUT THE QUEST TUTORIAL]QUEST TUTORIAL

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