Using Wellesley Free Library to research a school project or paper

Before you even begin, make sure you know your teacher’s requirements! If the instructions are unclear, ask the teacher before proceeding. Using Facebook to clarify the assignment may be easier, but isn’t it just a teeny bit possible that you may get wrong information?

When you are choosing a topic, make sure there are enough materials available before committing yourself. Finding a unique or creative angle on a subject is terrific, but be prepared to spend a little more time on the research phase.

Ask a librarian. Finding research materials is what we do.

Finding materials in the Wellesley Free Library

Using the catalog to find books

--If you are starting off without a specific title or author, your choice is a subject search or  a         keyword  search. The keyword search works much as any keyword search in databases or on the Internet. Subject searches involve looking for words or phrases in a very specific set of words.

--Locate several books that seem appropriate for your project. With one title on your screen, scroll down until you see a list of Subjects. This will show what subjects that particular book is “tagged” with. Click on whatever subjects look best to see all the books with that subject “tag.” Do this for at least two or three books—more if you are not satisfied with the number of potential sources.

--Master the art of browsing. Libraries arrange non-fiction books by subject. When you locate a book that will help you, check the shelves before and after that book to find others. But don’t stop there. Many subjects will be covered in books from several different areas. Why? Take global warming for example. Most of the Library’s books on the subject are assigned the Dewey number of 551 for the subject of Weather. Some are located with Social Issues in 363. To the extent that global warming is a natural resource or a people issue, look in 333 or 304.

--Use audiovisual materials (if permitted). The Library has hundreds of documentary films on a range of subjects. DVDs and VHS films are numbered the same as books.

--Libraries are part of networks. This means you have access to much more than what you find in Wellesley Free Library. Start your research early enough to request books from other libraries. If the book is available within Minuteman Library Network, the book should arrive in a week. If the book is from outside the network (Interlibrary Loan), it may take up to 2 weeks.

Using Periodical Databases to Find Magazine, Journal or Newspaper Articles

--Did you know that you have access to upwards of 100 million articles through Library databases? There are general periodical databases and specialized ones for health, business and academic journals. The simple searches are simple, but it would be worth your while to learn some of the advanced techniques. Don’t be afraid to ask a Reference Librarian to give you a short lesson.

--Though most of the articles are now full-text, some are not. These can be ordered from other libraries. There’s virtually no electronic coverage for pre-1980 articles. There is however, an ancient (before you were born) print book, published annually, listing magazine and journal articles. It’s called Reader’s Guide to Periodic Literature. It may not be the fastest approach, but researchers have made good use of it for 100 years!

Using the Internet for Research

Here are some ways to find reliable information via the Internet:

--Use a directory (as opposed to a search engine). Directories are often published by schools, colleges and libraries. A librarian or other professional chooses worthwhile web sites and places them in subject categories. The key factor here is that the web sites are selected for quality. An excellent directory to know about is Internet Public Library (http://www.ipl2.org/).

--Consider limiting your search engine results to specific domains. Google, Bing and Yahoo allow you to request sites belonging to a school/college (.edu) or government agency (.gov) or other domains.

--Find a directory for a specific subject using the words resources, portal or directory in your search. For example you might try ”Roman history resources”, or “global warming portal” or ”English literature directory.”

Types of resources

Reference Materials—Books that are used to access just specific articles (not read straight through) are called reference books. Access to the articles is either alphabetical (think encyclopedias) or through a detailed index at the back of the book. They don’t leave the Library. Here are some examples: If you are researching a literary topic, you might start off with Contemporary Literary Criticism, Contemporary Authors or Literature and Its Times. If you are looking for primary source documents, you might look first in Annals of America. Some of our reference books are now available online. See below for information on Reference databases.

Reference databases-- These are collections of articles on a subject (or set of subjects) that are searchable by a single search engine. The Library provides access to about forty databases—most of which are accessible from home (Minuteman Library card necessary). Your school also provides access to databases and the Boston Public Library provides over 100 databases you can access from home (Apply for an “ecard” online at www.bpl.org—you don’t need to live in Boston.)

Internet—There are reasons why teachers don’t want you to just Google everything.

--There’s an awful lot of junk available on the Internet and Google righteously delivers all of it. Sure there are junky books too, but book publishers have long-time reputations to maintain. Also books you find in a library are selected individually by professional librarians assuring their value as research tools.

-- As vast as the Internet is, it’s still unpredictable. Will you find information on Laotian drums in a two-line passage from a discussion group or will there be a 400 page PhD dissertation? Did you choose the right words to search on or are there better words you didn’t think of?

Books—There are advantages and disadvantages to books. First the disadvantages:

--You will probably have to go out and get it. There are more and more books available online, but we’re nowhere near the point of being able to count on finding a relevant and accessible e-book .

--You will probably have to do more concentrated reading. Indexes and tables of content are similar to search engines, but you won’t be able to quickly jump to the precise words you need.

--If it’s on paper, it can’t really be as current as its electronic equivalent.

    But on the other hand…

--A book published by a reputable publisher and selected by a librarian is very likely to contain solid information.

--Through custom and tradition, scholars write books. They may or may not maintain web sites. Information on the author is found on the book jacket or in the introduction and most books you’d use are reviewed in magazines, journals or newspapers.

Periodicals --Periodicals are publications that come out regularly and include magazines, newspapers and academic journals. There are hundreds of thousands of periodicals on every conceivable subject. It is usually easier to find information on narrow topics in periodical articles than in books.

A Note on primary sources—These are first-hand accounts, written by a participant or direct observer. Included are autobiographies, letters, laws, diaries, speeches, interviews, eye-witness accounts, and some newspaper articles (when the newspaper is initially reporting the event). The Library will have these sources and many more primary source materials in various locations around the building. No, unfortunately there is no one shelf to go to. We do have a separate pathfinder naming some basic sources—print and electronic—to give you a start.

 

Reference librarians are available whenever the Library is open. Our job is to help people find the books and information they need. Don’t be shy about asking for help. If you can’t make it to the Library, call us at 781-235-1610 x1117 or email at welmail3@minlib.net.