Using the Library CSS 101 Martin J Crabtree

Using the Library CSS 101 Martin J. Crabtree MCCC Library October 2006

Agenda • • • Why is finding & using information important The MCCC Library The helpful folks at the MCCC library Some kinds of library materials So what do I look for – Picking a topic Finding books in a college library & using the catalog • Some library paperwork

Why is finding and using information important? • The ability to find and use information is something that you’ll need both in college and as part you the rest or your life! • You will need these skills to do thing in college like researching & writing a term paper • You will also need it for things like: – Finding a job – Deciding which car to own • Anytime where you need to “find something out”

What is information literacy? Information literacy is the ability to: • Realize that you need information to find something out/answer a question • Know where to go to get the information you need • Ask the right questions to get the information you need • Put all the information you found together to answer your question

For example, say you want to go on a date. What kind of information might you need?

Going on a date 1. Who do you want to go with? – That’s your choice 2. What do you want to do? – – Movie? Dinner out? Amusement park? Concert?

Say you pick a concert, now you need some information • • Are there any good concert coming up? When is the concert? How much are tickets? How do I get there if I’m driving to the concert? • How much does it cost to park my car? • Can I take a bus or train to the concert?

So what does this have to do with college? • In college, just like going on a date, you must be able to find out what you need to know.

This isn’t just being able to use a computer and the internet • You will need to have some computer skills – To use computer programs – Access the internet – Print, email, save files, etc. • But it is equally important to have the ability to find information you need and know what to do with the “stuff” you found.

The MCCC Library can help • The library has a lot of useful information for both your college work and personal needs. • The library staff can help you find what you need and help you to improve your information finding skills.

The MCCC Libraries • There are three (3) libraries at MCCC – West Windsor Campus (in the Library Building) – James Kerney Campus (on the 3 rd floor) – Dempster Fire Training Center

The reference desk is first thing you see you when you enter the library • The people who are at this desk are there to help you find what you need. • Ask them for the information you need. They will help you find the best materials for you.

The people at the circulation desk can help too • You check out book here. • You get videos & newspapers here. • You can get materials (books, journal articles, etc. ) that your professor has set aside here (can’t leave the library) • The people here can help answer your questions too.

So what all is in the library?

What’s in the library Beside helpful library staff there are: • A quiet place to study • Books • Magazines & Journals • Open computer lab • Videos • CDs • Copiers • Expect to use many types of library materials to do a good job for your college assignments

Reference books • There are many types of books • Some are called reference books • They contain factual information, non fiction • Cover many subject areas • You’ll likely not read an entire reference book, but will use the info form a few pages.

Reference books include • • • Encyclopedias – intro to a topic Almanacs – find facts here Atlases – maps of all types Dictionaries – look up words Many more – Biographical sources – info about people – Quotations – what people have said about a topic – Statistics – Number facts

Selecting a research topic Figuring out what you want to find out about

Selecting a topic • Make sure you understand your assignment completely. • Look at general resources like an encyclopedia to find out more about the broad topic, looking for things that may interest you. • Think of a topic that both will fulfill your assignment and be interesting to you personally. • Use the library catalog to find books on your topic. • Use library databases and indexes to find periodical (magazine, journal, newspaper) articles.

Finding Books • Books are put on the shelves grouped by subject. • You may be familiar with the Dewey Decimal System which is used by many school and public libraries. • MCCC like most colleges uses a different system called the Library of Congress (LC) system. • The LC system used both letters and number

Library of Congress System • Organizes knowledge into 21 broad categories. • The 21 categories (labeled A to Z, but missing I, O, W, X and Y) are further subdivided by adding one or two additional letters and a set of numbers. • The first letter of a Library of Congress (LC) call number indicates the general subject area. • The second letter indicates the specific subject section within the general category.

Library of Congress vs. the Dewey Decimal Systems Dewey Decimal System Library of Congress • Ancient Olympic Games: 796. 48 PER • Ancient Olympic Games: GV 23. S 9 1999 • Fiction books are all in the same place: F DIC • Fiction books are part of the system: PZ 3. D 55 T 3 • Biography books are also in the same place: B EDI • Biographies are mixed into the collection: TK 140. E 3 J 75

The bottom line Library of Congress (LC) starts with letters (and has some number too) Dewey starts with numbers

Using The MCCC Card Catalog to find books and more • The catalog is available online. Used to find books, videos and other material both in the MCCC collection and the Mercer County Public (MCL) libraries. • You can have materials from MCL brought to the college. Deliveries arrive Tuesday and Friday afternoons. (DVD’s not available from MCL) • You will need to have your student ID card to borrow books or use the library’s computer lab

The link to the catalog is on the library’s web pages.

Periodicals • Periodicals include: – scholarly journals – newspapers – Magazines • Periodicals represent the bulk of published scholarly information. • They contain more up-to-date information than books • The library has a number of periodicals available in print, on microfilm, and especially via electronic databases. • The library staff can help determine if a specific periodical is available from the library.

Next time • Using computers to find information • Your turn to: – Search the MCCC library’s catalog – Use the electronic databases – Evaluating web information • Now for a bit of a quick quiz.