Library Research Strategies

1. Library Research Strategies HS 693-01: History Honors Seminar Prof. Marilynn Johnson Michelle Baildon baildon@bc.edu http://www2.bc.edu/~baildon/

2. 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

3. First Things First:Important Web Sites • Michelle’s Home Page:http://www2.bc.edu/~baildon/ • This presentation • Course resource guide • Basic skill guides • Library home page: http://www.bc.edu/libraries/ • 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

4. Finding Information at BC:Use Quest <http://www.bc.edu/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)

5. 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!

6. 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!

7. 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: http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/tutorials/s-quest1/

8. 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) • Use your Boston Library Consortium (BLC) card

9. 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 . . . ) • They’re kept in many places in the BC Libraries (mostly this depends on how old it is)

10. 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 • Historical Abstracts • Step 2: Find the journal in Quest

11. Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier Shortcut #1: • Use full-text journal databases • Some key full-text databases [find them on the Online Databases page]: • JSTOR • Project Muse • These don’t have subjects! You’re searching the articles line-by-line • They are less comprehensive than indexes

12. 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:http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/tools/s-findit/

13. Some Shortcuts to Make Life Easier Shortcut #3: • If you know exactly what you’re looking for, use Citation Linkeron the E-Journals Page<http://www.bc.edu/libraries/resources/ejournals/>

14. Remember:Different Tools Find Different Things • Catalogs: Everything a library holds • Union catalogs: Everything that many libraries hold (see 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”

15. Finding Information at BC & Beyond:Primary Sources • See the guide toFinding Primary Sources • Print sources • Use Quest and WorldCat • Digitized sources • See Research Guides, Online Databases Page, Quest • Think critically about free Internet sources • Microfilm • Use Quest Advanced Search and limit to microfilm • Newspapers: See Newspapers Research Guide and Newspapers Collection page • Archival sources • Archival Resources, ArchivesUSA

16. 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

17. I Need Help • Library home page: http://www.bc.edu/libraries/ • Research Help • Subject specialists<http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/> List of contacts in all disciplines • Research Guides<http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/guides/> Comprehensive lists of print and electronic resources in different subjects • How do I . . . ? <http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/howdoi> Frequently asked questions in library research • Tutorials<http://www.bc.edu/libraries/research/tutorials/> [CHECK OUT THE QUEST TUTORIAL]

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