At the reference desk, librarians engage in an often predictable sequence of instruction with students that centers on assisting students with focusing their topics before they can move to the information collection stage. It is an area of instruction that is often taken for granted and that most faculty are unaware of, but it is critical for…

This presentation at a seminar for library staff and students describes the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system as an information system designed to provide users with ready access to primarily English-language literature dealing with education by establishing a database, publishing abstracting journals, and reproducing…

This guide is designed to introduce students to the California State University at Long Beach Library. The first chapter discusses how to start searching for information--types of information sources, search strategy, choosing a topic and finding preliminary information, encyclopedias, and dictionaries. Topics related to catalogs and computers are…

This guide introduces the reader to the basics of online database searching using a microcomputer. Following definitions of the terms online, database, and searching, the guide presents information on the online environment, hardware needed, software needed, and configuring the software. A tutorial on online searching covers how to decide when to…

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for the end user for searching the ERIC database on CD-ROM using the Dialog OnDisc software. Topics include: (1) preparing for the search by analyzing the information need; (2) beginning the search and selecting a search option; (3) modifying the search; (4) displaying the records; (5) printing all…

The basics of online searching for bibliographic citations are presented through use of the "Economic Literature Index" (ELI), which is available as File 139 on Dialog Information Services. This article focuses on the choice of media for bibliographic searches, search strategies, and the selection of alternative databases, such as…

Designed to acquaint persons conducting library research in Chicano Studies with the reference materials found in the University Library at the University of California-Santa Barbara, the manual provides information on the Coleccion Tloque Nahuaque, relevant subject headings, and a useful search strategy. Resources, staff, assigned reading…

This introduction to the library system at the College of Wooster in Ohio advises the user to keep a number of goals in mind in order to become an effective library user: (1) get to know the librarians and special assistants and how each can be of service; (2) learn the layout of the building and locations of the various service departments and…

This third module, in a three module program, begins with a discussion of basic reference sources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, and periodical indexes. It then describes the uses of special Alaska resources such as Alaska Almanac, Alaska Blue Book, Milepost, Education Directory, AULS (Alaska Union List of Serials), and…

This document provides an overview of the concepts and processes behind reference services and the most important sources consulted in answering common reference questions. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with concepts and theory. It covers ethical aspects of reference service, the reference interview, the principles and goals of…

This workbook introduces students at the State University of New York at Stony Brook to the main campus library system and teaches basic research skills. The workbook is divided into 10 sections: (1) introduction to the Stony Brook library; (2) how to find books by title or author using the Stony Brook Automated Retrieval System (STARS); (3) how…

Designed to acquaint students with the facilities and resources of the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Library, this library manual is divided into 24 chapters: (1) The Main Library; (2) Reference Room; (3) Periodical Indexes; (4) Infotrac Academic Index; (5) Abstracts and Two-Step Indexes; (6) Locating Periodicals; (7) Newspaper Indexes and…