The Secret of Success: Using the Library for College Classes

Updated July 24, 2008

Overview• Getting Help from the Library• Your Personal Librarian• The Educational Resources Center• The difference between Primary and Secondary

materials• Kentucky Library and Museum• Scholarly journals vs. popular journals• Research tools on the Library’s Webpage• Other important library Webpages

Librarian notes

• You might want to start with the library video. However, I suggest that the teacher have their students view the video before they come into the library.

• If you do a walking tour, you may not need to do the slides on circulation, VPAL, and reserves.

Website demo • Showing the library’s Webpage with links for:

– Hours– TOPCAT and KenCat

• Demonstrate TOPCAT with a book from your subject– Databases and E-books– TDnet– TopSCHOLAR®– Research Guides– How to find your personal librarian– The “Information Literacy & Library instruction” link

• Show how to find citation information on website (select “Citations & Style Sheets” from “Browse Site” menu)

• The library’s presence on Facebook, Twitter, and blog

Notes for Librarians

• If you do the walking tour or show the video, you may not want to do the next few slides on the circulation desk, VPAL, and reserves.

• The slides on Primo are for backup. If possible, please do this live.

Why should you use the library?1. Everything is not on the Internet.

2. Everything on the Internet is not reliable.

3. Librarians can help you with your strategy.• We have a Master’s degree in how to find things.

4. A large part of the grade for papers depends on how well you research your papers and what sources you use.

5. The library has a large number of reliable resources, including books, journals, and

online database subscriptions.

The Circulation DeskCravens Building, 4th Floor

Borrow books for four weeks with your WKU ID card. If the book you want has been borrowed, you can have it recalled.

Borrow have laptops to useanywhere in the library for two hours.

Take an Audio Tour of the library. – Listen on an MP3 player from the Circulation Desk.– Or download it onto your own MP3 player.

Visual & Performing Arts Library (VPAL)

• Popular & classical musical recordings.• Movies on DVD and VHS.• Lila Greene Listening Library.• Private listening & viewing room.• Musical scores & librettos.• Reserves, including electronic reserves.

• 2nd Floor Cravens Library• Books about Art, Music,

Dance, Photography, Theatre, Fashion, Costume, Dress, & Interior Design.

Books & Articles On Reserve If your professor puts a class reading “on reserve,”

you can use it in the library for two hours.

The main reserve area is located on the second floor of the Cravens Building in the Visual & Performing Arts Library.

Many reserve items for education classes are located at the Educational Resources Center.

Some items are also available as electronic reserves through Blackboard.

Librarian notes

• Start here if you did a walking tour or showed the library video.

Helm-Cravens Library

Reference Area, Helm 1st Floor: maps, atlases, & books.

Periodicals, Helm 2nd Floor: journals, magazines, newspapers,and microfilm.

Law, Federal Government, and Kentucky Government Documents: Helm Basement.

Books to borrow: Cravens Library. Check out on Cravens 4th Floor.

Visual & Performing Arts Library (VPAL), Cravens Library 2nd Floor: CDs, DVDs, and items on Reserve.

Get Help from the LibraryCome to the reference desk, Helm Library 1st Floor.

Email the Library: web.reference@wku.edu.Use your Personal Librarian.

Your Personal Librarian:Can save you time and help you get better grades!

Your Personal Librarian is an expert in the subject. We have librarians who work with every department!

Make an appointment with your Personal Librarian any time you have a paper or presentation in class.

– Your Personal Librarian will show you what you need to start the paper.

– You don’t even have to be a major!

Popular Magazines vs. Scholarly Journals

Popular Magazines Opinion Magazines Magazines you can buy at the

store for the purpose of current news or entertainment.

Written by journalists rather than scholars.

DO NOT USE for college Papers.

Written from a particular point

of view (religious, political, social, etc.).

Remember that the articles all have a particular bias. Be sure you recognize this bias if you use in a paper.

Trade Magazines Scholarly Journals Written for people who work in a particular industry or occupation.

Their purpose is to discuss current trends and events or give statistics.

Contain ads, new product listings,

or directory information.

Written in technical language by scholars in the field.

Little or no advertising.

Articles contain, charts and graphs, footnotes/endnotes, & references (bibliographies)

citing the authors' sources.

Why are they called “Scholarly” Journals?

Before an article is published, it is read by several scholars in the same field to make sure the article contains accurate information and that research described in the article was conducted properly.

Also called “Peer-Reviewed” journals or “Refereed” journals.

WHAT YOUR PROFESSOR WANTS YOU TO USE.

What Are These?

What Can You Use for Papers? Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals:

What your professor wants you to use. Opinion Magazines:

Use with caution in a paper, but remember they are not objective.

Trade Magazines:Not scholarly, but sometimes contain technical articles.

Ask your professor first. Popular Magazines:

DO NOT USE THESE IN A COLLEGE PAPER!

ALWAYS ASK YOUR PROFESSOR if you have questions about what you may use in a paper.

Primary and Secondary Sources• Primary resources

– Created by people who actually saw or participated in an event, or recorded their reactions immediately afterwards.

• Secondary resources– Created by someone not present when the event

took place or removed by time from the event.

Secondary Sourcesfor College Classes

Reference books, including subject encyclopedias and handbooks.

Books

Scholarly (peer-reviewed) journal articles written by scholars in the field

Reliable Web resources from governments or scholars in the field.– But be sure that you verify the information and

make sure it is reliable.

Primary Sources at the Kentucky Library & Museum

• What they have– Library– Manuscripts

& Archives– Museum– Felts House

• KLM Onlinehttp://www.wku.edu/library/kylm/

• KenCat (Kentucky Library & Museum Catalog)

Teaching Tools at the Educational Resources Center

Curriculum guides & lesson plansJuvenile book collectionLaminating serviceEllison letter machineEducational games, puppets, & manipulatives

Questions???• The next session will cover:

– Finding journal articles on your topic– Using the Library’s online research databases– Selecting appropriate resources– Strategies for effective searching– Evaluating Information