Doing research is frequently an integral part of the writing process. To be a good researcher, you must be able to locate, organize, evaluate, and communicate information. Libraries are a primary resource for conducting academic research. Learning how to use them and their resources effectively is important to understanding the research process.
Finding books and journal articles to compile a list of relevant materials used to be a matter of going to the library and using the card catalog in conjunction with print journal indexes. Today, libraries, and their methods for providing access to research information, have changed remarkably. Libraries provide access to information through print materials, electronic databases and catalogs, and Internet resources. Understanding how to select and use the appropriate resources for specific information needs is the key to successful research. To become adept at locating and using information for research, you must know about the many different resources available to you.
For example, you can now do more of your research from your home or office than ever before. The University System of Maryland (USM) libraries provide access to books through an online catalog and to articles through full text databases. Links to both the USM library catalog and to MdUSA, the USM library gateway to full text databases, are accessible from the Information and Library Services (ILS) Web page available at www.umuc.edu/library .
As a currently enrolled UMUC student, you can use the library catalog to place holds on books and have them delivered to any USM library, the Annapolis Center or Waldorf Center for Higher Education for pickup. In addition, you can access full-text articles on the Web and either print, download, or e-mail them to your desktop. To do so, you must have access to a computer, modem, communications package, and a Web browser. Further, if articles and book chapters you need are not available full text online, ILS will send them to you electronically.
This chapter will introduce the many electronic information resources and library services that are available to you. However, please remember to use the information with care. As a student, you are allowed to make a copy for your personal use, but you must keep in mind that you may not distribute the work to anyone else. The decision in the A&M Records vs. Napster, Inc., reaffirms that no one, other than the copyright owner, may distribute his or her work, including via the Internet, regardless of whether easy, technological means exist to do so.
In addition, most works, regardless of whether they include the copyright symbol, ©, on the work, are considered to be copyrighted under the law. Because almost all works are under some form of copyright protection, it is important to give credit to the creator of a work. Properly citing your sources is essential for purposes of academic integrity and to ensure you are in compliance with federal law. For additional information, see Academic Integrity and Documentation (Chapter 5 of this guide).
When conducting library research, you may not need to use a particular type of library. However, we recommend that you visit at least one college or university library when you are doing research because these libraries have a greater variety of resources suitable for college students.
Each type of library serves a particular audience and houses different types of information resources. These range from basic reference sources at a public library to scholarly journals at an academic library. You may want to consult one or all of the following resources to identify libraries located near you. SAILOR is a Web-based list of the libraries in Maryland. MARINA is a combined online catalog of Maryland libraries that share materials.
You can also conduct a search on the Web for a library using a Web-based search engine such as LibDex. Guides to libraries in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, as well as libraries in Aberdeen, Annapolis, Rockville, Southern Maryland, Frederick, Ft. Meade, and Baltimore, and Maryland law libraries, are available through the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library.
There are several categories of libraries you may wish to consider.
Libraries and Services
Types of Libraries
Academic libraries range from community college libraries, supporting two-year associate degree programs, to university research libraries, which support four-year undergraduate and graduate programs. Most colleges and universities permit the public to use library materials in-house but limit borrowing privileges to their students, faculty, and staff. At some academic libraries, you can purchase a borrower's card through a special borrower's or friends-of-the-library program. If you are located near an academic institution, inquire about privileges and services that may be available to you. As a UMUC student, you have access to the resources of the USM and affiliated institution libraries, including Morgan State University and St. Mary's College of Maryland.
Libraries and Services
Types of Libraries
Public libraries provide materials useful for very basic research and can often provide basic information and resources to get you started on your course projects. As a resident of the county or surrounding area, you can register and obtain a library card to borrow books. Most public libraries do not own the scholarly books and journals appropriate for more in-depth investigation. However, many public libraries do offer electronic databases and Internet access. These resources may be used in the library; and, if you have a library card from that city or county, frequently public library databases are accessible from home as well. Generally, these databases are geared for the general public or for local business people. Depending on the public library, you may find they duplicate or supplement those resources already available to you through the UMUC library databases.
Libraries and Services
Types of Libraries
Special libraries can include the libraries at companies, associations, law firms, government agencies, and military bases/posts. Many organizations maintain libraries or information centers that support the organization's goals and the research needs of employees or members. You may find that your own company has a library or information center with source materials of value to you. Usually the materials in these libraries are narrowly focused. Special libraries are sometimes open to the public; however you may need an appointment to gain access or get help. Contact the library to determine the privileges and services that may be available to you. Military library collections are similar to those of a public library, containing popular reading materials and reference works. Military libraries are generally open to those that work at or have access to the military base/post.
Libraries and Services
Types of Libraries
Government Depository Libraries
Today, many government documents are available on the Web. However, to use a broader collection or for projects requiring historical research on governmental issues, it may be helpful to use the documents collection at a depository library. You can use the Government Publication Office's Locate Federal Depository Libraries Web site to find government depository libraries in your area.
Libraries and Services
Several services are available that will help you access and obtain the information you need.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)Interlibrary loan is a service in which one library lends materials to another library that needs them. You can place an ILL request for books and journal articles that are unavailable through the USM library system. You must pick up book materials at the UMUC office of Information and Library Services in the Student and Faculty Services Center (SFSC), Room 2255 in Adelphi Md. Alternatively, ILS can send you the book table-of-contents and mail or electronically deliver one or more books chapters (as long as they are less than 20% of the book). You can also choose to have journal articles not available full text online delivered electronically to your desktop or mailed to you.
In addition, most public libraries offer ILL services, sometimes for a small fee, as do some community colleges. Remember that it may take two-to-four weeks to obtain the materials, so start your research early. See the sections Obtaining Books Not Owned by USM Libraries and Obtaining Articles Not Available Online for more information about ILS delivery services.
Libraries and Services
Types of Services
Reference assistance can be an indispensable resource. UMUC librarians provide help to students, faculty, and staff in a variety of ways, including:
You can call the ILS librarians at 301-985-7209, 301-405-9115, or 1-800-888-UMUC (8682) x7209, send an e-mail to library@umuc.edu, or chat live with a reference librarian. See the Getting Help section of the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library for more details about services, locations, and hours.
You can choose to search a combined catalog that contains information about the items owned by all of the USM libraries or to search individual campus library catalogs. The catalog lists books, videos, government documents, and journal holdings of all USM libraries. It identifies which campuses own the materials, their locations within the respective libraries, and whether the materials are available to be checked out. In addition, the online catalog provides access to the library catalogs of other institutions outside the USM.
All currently enrolled UMUC students in the continental United States can use the library catalog to place holds on circulating library books. The 14-digit barcode on the back of your UMUC ID card should already be registered in the system. However, if the system does not recognize you as a valid user, call ILS at 301-985-7209, 800-888-UMUC (8682) ext. 7209 or send an e-mail to library@umuc.edu to register your barcode.
Keep in mind that loan periods vary among USM libraries. If you return a book late, you will be billed by the lending library, not by UMUC. If you accumulate excessive fines or lose books, your borrowing privileges may be restricted or suspended.
Delivery of USM Books in the Maryland area
You can request that circulating books owned by USM libraries be delivered to any other USM library, including the Shady Grove Library/Media Center in Rockville, Maryland, the Annapolis Center, or the Waldorf Center for Higher Education. You can request this service using the Place Hold command in the catalog. You cannot place a hold/recall on noncirculating items such as reference books, journals, or videos. To place a hold, follow the following steps:
Connect to the USM library catalog from the ILS Web page (www.umuc.edu/library).
At the first screen, choose the combined University System of Maryland
catalog.
Search your topic and select a book that you want to place on hold.
Click the Place Hold icon on the left hand side of the full record screen.
Enter your barcode (the 14-digit number on the back of your student ID) and
last name and indicate where you want the book to be sent.
You will be notified by mail when the item you requested is ready for pickup.
Delivery of USM Books outside of Maryland in the continental United States
Place a hold on the book as detailed above.
Select DE as your pick up location.
ILS will ship the book to you and arrange for its pickup when you are ready
to return it.
For more information about this service, see U.S. Distance Education Book Delivery.
Information Resources
Finding Books
Some records in USM library catalog include electronic links to the full electronic book (e-book) available through a database called NetLibrary. You may want to visit the netLibrary FAQ linked to the ILS Web page for more information about using netLibrary.
Other e-books are freely available on Web sites for viewing or downloading. For example, Project Gutenberg provides the text of popular works of literature in a simple text format that any computer can display. Freely available e-books are usually classic texts from the 17th-19th century.
Information Resources
Finding Books
Obtaining Books Not Owned by USM Libraries
If the book you want is not owned by a USM library, you can request the book through the ILS interlibrary loan service. Fill out the Web-based form to request books. For more information about this service, see the section on Interlibrary Loan Services on the ILS Web page. If you are not able to find material in a library near you or pick up the book in Adelphi, ILS can supply book table-of-contents and book chapters (as long as they comprise less than 20% of the entire book) as a PDF file electronically. Alternately, you may wish to submit an Interlibrary Loan request through your local public library.
Information Resources
The Internet is is often described as a "network of computer networks" and is the largest network of computers in the world. The Internet allows anyone using the system to communicate and share information with anyone else on using the Internet no matter where they are in the world. It may be helpful to think of the Internet as the wiring or hardware and the Web as the software of the Internet. The terms Internet and Web are sometimes used interchangeably because anything on the Web is, by definition, on the Internet. Internet is the broader term and includes everything on the Web.
There are three components to the Web: Web documents, Web servers, and Web browsers. A Web document, typically referred to as a "page," is what you see when you are looking at a Web site. For example, if you traveled to UMUC's Web page at www.umuc.edu, you would be viewing a Web document when you connected to our site. A Web server is the computer where Web documents are housed, and a Web browser is the tool you use to view Web documents. Most people are familiar with the Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browsers. These browsers make it possible to access Web servers and view Web documents.
There are two main types of Web-based information, (1) publicly available (free) Web information and (2) proprietary Web information.
It is important to remember that you can access many resources available via the Web but not all, and other people may not have the same access you do.
Now that you know the difference between freely available and proprietary information on the Web, you should know about the proprietary databases available to you as a UMUC student via the Web. ILS has purchased nearly 100 databases that include indexes to periodicals, reference materials, statistical databases, and electronic books and journals. You can use the databases to find popular and scholarly articles on a wide variety of topics, statistics, transcripts of television and radio programs, U.S. and international newspapers and other published materials.
As a student at UMUC, you have access to these databases from the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library. MdUSA, pronounced "medusa," is the gateway to these databases. The majority of the databases are available through a single interface. For those databases accessible through MdUSA's single interface, you can search multiple databases simultaneously and customize your topic by selecting databases from a variety of disciplines. You can also save, e-mail or print multiple articles from search results of different databases.
MdUSA also provides access to databases that use the interface directly from the vendor. Unlike the databases you search through a single interface, you can only search these related databases one at a time but they may offer special search features not available in the MdUSA interface.
Information Resources
Finding Journal Articles
You can access the MdUSA log in page from several places:
Enter your last name and 14-digit barcode number from the back of your student identification card or social security number, and click the Remote log in button. If you are unable to remotely log in to the system, you will have the opportunity to fill out a web-based form with your personal information that will be sent to the ILS staff for verification and processing. Select the Local Login button if you are accessing MdUSA from the Student and Faculty Services Center, Annapolis Center, or Waldorf Center for Higher Education.
Information Resources
Finding Journal Articles
A good way to begin searching is to identify which library databases contain information on your topic. You can find descriptions about each database from the Database Descriptions available on the UMUC ILS Web site. The Database Descriptions can help you to select the appropriate databases to search for articles on your topic. You can also use the topic search categories in MdUSA. Each topic search category includes a set of databases related to that topic.
For more information about searching MdUSA, see the Guide to Searching MdUSA. For additional information about using indexes to find articles in a library or database, see Finding Journal Articles.
Information Resources
Finding Journal Articles
Obtaining Articles Not Available Online
If you cannot find the full text of the article online in MdUSA, you can request the article using a form available by clicking on the ILL button in a MdUSA article citation, or by using electronic forms for journal article requests available on the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library. ILS' electronic delivery service provides your articles in PDF format direct to your desktop. Once scanned the article will be posted to the Web and you will be notified via e-mail when it is ready. Or, if you prefer, we can mail the article to you.
You may also want to check your local public or academic library to obtain the article. You will need the full citation from the journal index or database. Identify the title of the journal or newspaper in which the article was published from the article citation. Then, check the library's catalog to see if it owns that journal or newspaper. For example, to check to see if a USM library owns a particular journal, you would search the USM library catalog for the library you are using. If the library you are using does not own the journal, and the article is not available in a full-text database, you may obtain it using the ILS' document delivery/interlibrary loan service.
Students who reside outside the United States should go to Finding Library Materials for more information on obtaining materials via ILL.
Remember that, if you need assistance with using library services or in doing research, you can contact the ILS staff. UMUC librarians are available to help you via interactive chat, e-mail, phone and in person. For contact information and more details, see the ILS Web page at www.umuc.edu/library.
Electronic Information Resources, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
Visiting the Library or Requesting an Interlibrary Loan
Your next step after finding a book in WorldCat and looking at a list of libraries that own the book is to decide if you want to go to a library that owns the book or use interlibrary loan to have the book delivered to a library closer to you. If you request an item through UMUC, you must be able to pick it up at the Office of Library Services in College Park, Maryland, in the Student and Faculty Services Center (SFSC), or at the Shady Grove Library/Media Center in Rockville, Maryland.
If these two UMUC library locations are not convenient, then you may want to go to a local public or community college library and ask about their interlibrary loan services. Most such libraries will provide interlibrary loan services for any book you need, and the book will be delivered to the library more convenient to your home or work. In some cases, there may be a fee for this service.
If you live or work near a USM library, be sure to check the VICTOR library catalog before requesting an item through interlibrary loan. Students outside the United States should go to the Library Services Web page section on Library Services for Students at a Distance at http://www.umuc.edu/library/ for more information about obtaining books.
Electronic Information Resources, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
Almost all libraries have CD-ROM databases available covering a variety of subjects. In many cases, the CD-ROM has replaced the printed journal index and frequently contains full-text information. It is important that you investigate which CD-ROM databases are available to you when you visit any type of library. For example, if you are interested in obtaining statistical information, you will probably need to use Statistical Masterfile (SM). This database is the combined electronic version of three print indexes: American Statistics Index, Statistical Reference Index, and Index to International Statistics. Within the USM libraries, Statistical Masterfile is available at the McKeldin Library on the College Park campus. The Office of Library Services provides detailed information on the CD-ROM databases available at the USM libraries as well as those available at libraries in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Although much of the information on CD-ROMs is now available on the Web, several databases are still available only on CD-ROM, so it is likely you will need to use one to research a topic.
Electronic Information Resources, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
Finding Journal Articles
The Internet is a global network of networks and is the largest network of computers in the world, growing at a rate of 10 percent each month. It may be helpful to think of the Internet as the wiring or hardware and the Web as the software of the Internet. The Web is a graphical interface to the information available on the Web. There are three components to the Web: Web documents, Web servers, and Web browsers. A Web document, typically referred to as a "page," is what you see when you are looking at a Web site. For example, if you traveled to UMUC’s Web page at http://www.umuc.edu, you would be viewing a Web document when you connected to our site. A Web server is the computer where Web documents are housed, and a Web browser is the tool you use to view Web documents. Most people are familiar with the Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browsers. These browsers make it possible to access Web servers and view Web documents.
There are two main types of Web-based information, (1) publicly available (free) Web information and (2) proprietary Web information. These are described here.
For example, the IBM home page can be found at http://www.ibm.com. IBM has made that site available to anyone on the Web primarily to advertise its products. Another example is the UMUC Web site at http://www.umuc.edu. This site presents information typical of the information most colleges and universities make available without charge as a public service.
It is important to remember that you can access many resources available via the Web but not all, and other people may not have the same access you do.
Now that you know the difference between freely available and proprietary information on the Web, you should know about the proprietary databases available to you as a UMUC student via the Web. The Office of Library Services has purchased over 65 databases that include the full text of journal articles, company directory data, and other documents that are available to you via the Library Services Web page at http://www.umuc.edu/library.
The direct link to the databases is available at http://www.umuc.edu/library. Once you go to this page, you will see a list of the databases by category. Access to them is restricted to UMUC faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students. If you use the databases in a UMUC computer lab, the databases will recognize your location and allow you to use them without any login or password. If you are trying to access these databases from outside of UMUC, you will need to identify yourself as a valid user by entering in your last name and barcode number (the 14-digit number on the back of your UMUC ID card).
The library databases are currently listed under nine broad categories. Because databases are continually added, the category names may change at any time. Please check the Library Services Web page at http://www.umuc.edu/library for the latest listing of specific databases available to you.
The Web databases contain many different types of information including journal articles, government documents, and company documents. Once you select a broad category, you will need to examine each database individually to determine the years covered, the type of information included, and whether the database includes any full-text documents. The types of information found under each category are described below.
General Research: Journal Databases
In this category, you will find journal databases that cover a myriad of subject areas. General research databases are those that skim across many fields and do not focus narrowly on a specialized field. If you are unsure where to begin your search, the journal databases in this category provide an excellent introduction to the journal literature of many different fields.
General Research: Reference Works
Reference works are resources, such as encyclopedias, that provide background information, including specific details or facts on a subject. Reference works may also point to other sources of information such as the database, WorldCat, which provides information on books and journals owned by libraries around the globe. If you are seeking a general overview of a topic, General Research: Reference Works would be the database at which to begin.
Business and Management
As its name implies, the databases in this category are specifically related to the study of business and management. If you seek information on any topic related to this field, this is the place to begin.
Computer Science
In this category, you will find documents and journal articles related to the study of computers and computing. These specialized databases include both popular and more scholarly information on computers and peripherals.
Humanities/Literature
The databases in this category cover the arts, literature, contemporary authors, literary biography, and music. If you are studying in any of these fields, begin searching for information on your topic here.
Law
The law category provides access to specialized databases that focus on topics related to the study of the law. Begin here for resources in the legal field.
News and Harvard Business Review
Coverage of local, regional, national, and international news is provided in this category. In addition, this category also includes full-text coverage of the Harvard Business Review, a core journal in the field of business and management.
Science, Technology, and Medicine
For coverage of science, technology, and medical topics, begin here.
Social and Behavioral Sciences
For information in the field of psychology, sociology, anthropology, geography, economics, political science, law, criminology, demography, and urban studies, you will want to begin by searching the databases in this category.
Now that you have a sense of what types of information are available through UMUC’s Web databases and of what types of services are available to you, it is important to review the process of identifying and retrieving journal articles, one of the main library resources you will use when you are doing a research paper or project.
Electronic Information Resources, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
How to Search for Journal Articles
Journal indexes or databases are tools that help you find articles. Printed indexes usually enable you to search for articles by author or subject. Electronic journal databases give you more flexibility in search options, enabling searches by author, subject, or keywords that can appear anywhere in the article, including the author name, article title, or journal title. These databases also allow such searches in the abstract or in the full text of the article, if the database includes the full text. In all cases, a journal index or database will include a citation for an article, and, in many cases, an abstract of the article will also be available. In online journal databases, it is frequently the case that the full text of articles is also included. Below are descriptions of what is included in a citation, an abstract, and the full text for a journal index or database.
Citations
All journal databases provide the article citation, which includes the title
of the article, the author, the title of the journal in which the article
was published, the volume number, the issue number, and the page numbers.
You will need the full article citation to cite the article correctly in your
research paper or project.
Abstracts
Some journal databases will provide both the article citation and an abstract,
or summary, of what the article is about. Article abstracts should not be
used as sources of information in a research paper, nor should they be quoted
in any way. Because the abstract is often written by someone other than the
author of the article, there is no guarantee that the information in the abstract
accurately reflects information from the article.
Full Text
Some journal databases provide the full text of the article in addition to
the citation. Full-text databases usually do not provide the full text of
every single article in the database; some entries may have only the article
citation and perhaps an abstract.
Electronic Information Resources, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
How to Search for Journal Articles
Steps in Searching Web Databases for Journal Articles
Online ILL forms are available on the Library Services Web page at https://illiad.umuc.edu/illiad/logon.html,
or you may call the Office of Library Services at 301-985-7209 and ask that
we mail or fax an ILL form to you. For long-distance calls outside of Maryland,
Virginia, and Delaware, call 800-283-6832. For toll-free service in Maryland,
Virginia, and Delaware, call 800-888-UMUC (8682). Please note that it will take at
least a week, and often longer, for us to get articles to you using ILL.
Students who reside outside the United States should go to the Library Services
Resources for Distant Students on the Library Services Web page at http://www.umuc.edu/library/
for more information on obtaining materials via ILL.
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