6. RESEARCHING LIBRARIES ON-LINE
Searching libraries on the web is very similar to walking into the UCCS library and using their electronic catalog to find books. On-line, however, you have access not only to the UCCS Library, but to libraries all over the country and the world. You can investigate each library individually, or you can choose a search engine which searches all the libraries at once. Each of these choices has its benefits and draw backs, but before you begin your search be prepared to take down information about the books you find. To make the search successful you will want to get as much of the following information as possible. The UCCS Library can be accessed at http://web.uccs.edu/library.
Be sure always to note the following when searching libraries on-line:
- The exact location and date of the information you’ve found. Specifically, which library has the material you need and is it available via inter-library loan. Recording this information will help the librarian who will be obtaining the material for you, and it will also help you retrace your steps should you need the book again or have questions as to when you requested the information.
- Title. Note the exact title, including any subtitles.
- Author. Note the author’s first and last name, as well as his or her middle name if available.
- Publication Information. Note the name of the publisher, the city and state (country if applicable) where it was published, and the most recent publication date.
- The ISBN (International Standard Book Number). This is an easy way for librarians to locate the book you are interested in. And/Or the LCN (Library of Congress Number). This number is also helpful for librarians and can be found more often on older books.
- Call Number. If you have located a book in a library catalog database, this is one more number librarians can use to locate the specific material.
While a librarian may not need all of this information to locate a book, they made need the majority of it to locate and procure it quickly.
Using a Search Engine
Galenet is an excellent search tool. It provides a great deal of information and is available at http://galenet.gale.com/m/mcp/prodlist, or on the First Search Database at http://gilligan.prod.oclc.org:3057. Both searches are also available through the UCCS Library homepage at http://web.uccs.edu/library. These search engines can be used to request a variety of books, articles, films and audio sources in many languages. Once your search has returned a list of sources, First Search will tell you if your library has the item, or, if UCCS does not have it, who does and who will lend it. Then you will be given interlibrary loan, e-mail and fax options to access the material. This can be an efficient way of accumulating possible research data quickly.
Other helpful search engines:
- CARL: http://www.carl.org/copac. A very complete listing of journals begining in the mid-1980s.
- Eric: http://ericir.syr.edu. Search engine for periodicals, books and many other educational resources.
- UnCover: http://uncweb.carl.org.Journals, articles, and book reviews on-line.
Drawbacks: The databases are not always up to date, which means that a book actually owned by UCCS may not be indicated as such in the search results. Not all books that libraries own are included in the databases. Generally, the on-line databases are limited to books in print and a selection of older books. First Search does not include special collections or archives which can be valuable sources for historians. Only relatively current book reviews, biographical information on authors, and articles are found on most electronic databases. Any information earlier than the mid-1980s will still have to be accessed in individual databases or through printed resources in the library itself.
Searching Individual Libraries:
Benefits: The largest benefit to searching a library on-line is to access specific, unique resources located at that facility. More and more libraries have digitized their special collections, making diaries, photographs, and other primary materials available on-line. Many times this includes geographically specific resources, such as locating Civil War documents in the South, or Celtic manuscripts in Great Britain. Specific libraries may also have books in their electronic catalog that are either too old or too specialized to be included in First Search. For help deciding which libraries will be most helpful to your specific search, access the Web Site for Organizations, Journals, On-line Historical Discussion Groups, Document/Manuscript Projects and Libraries page at http://web.uccs.edu/~history/index/historg.html or the specific history department webpages which apply to your topic. Many library catalogs will allow you to find a book on your topic and then let you browse the titles near it on the shelves. Because non-fiction cataloging systems are arranged topically, this can reveal books pertinent to your research that may have slipped through your search parameters.
Drawbacks: Obviously it would take a great deal of time to search each library individually. Many libraries do not loan books, which can make the time and energy of a search less productive.
Remember!!!
- UCCS Library Homepage: http://web.uccs.edu/library.
- On-line search engines canvas a large area which includes books in print and current articles, book reviews and biographical data.
- On-line library catalog searches locate special collections, archival sources, and regionally and topically specific materials.
Inter-library Loans for Books and Materials
On-line searches for written materials often involves transferring those materials to UCCS for you to read. In some instances, this can be done through fax, or e-mail, but generally involves asking the lending library to send the material, or a copy of the material to the UCCS library. In some cases, ordering an e-mail or fax copy will result in you receiving only the citation information, not the full text. Be specific in your requests and look for the exact information that will be received before making your request. Please keep in mind that books and articles do not always appear in their original format. Articles are usually sent as copies of the originals. Long articles usually entail a charge for the reproduction. Regardless of how you order an article, ZAP or First Search (both found on the UCCS Library Homepage) will ask if you will accept a charge for copied materials. Also, when articles are copied, some institutions will include the end notes and bibliography for the article and some will not. If you are interested in receiving copies of the end notes and bibliography, state that on your request. Books are most often sent intact; however, older or rare books can be sent on microfilm or microfiche, both of which require a special machine to read and copy. UCCS has the machines to read and copy microfilm and microfiche, but if for any reason you cannot use the readers, make sure that you specify when ordering materials that you require printed versions. This may limit your ability to get older material, but it will keep you from getting material that you cannot use.
Both inter-library loan systems will also ask for the date you want the library to stop looking for the material you have requested. This is important to fill out so that the library will know when your requests are no longer valuable to your research.
Inter-library Loaning Through ZAP
ZAP is a Colorado inter-library loan system developed through Colorado State University. Access Zap from the library homepage at http://web.uccs.edu/library. At this site, ZAP is one of the menu options. Log-in as COX, which indicates that you are from UCCS. The first time you access the program, ZAP will ask you for your student ID, your name, address, phone number and classification at UCCS (undergraduate student, graduate, professor or staff). After you have entered the information once, the program will keep it on file, allowing you to access the book request quickly after entering the program. Be prepared with the information on the books you are requesting. You will need to type in the information on each book. The program will allow you to correct any mistyped information before it asks if you want to send the information. ZAP also allows you to check up on your inter-library loans regardless of whether you entered through the ZAP system or through First Search. This option is available through the ZAP menu. To check the status of your loans, you will need as much of your publication data as possible for the librarian to find the book on the Inter-library loan system. You will not get an immediate answer, but the librarian will get back to you within a day or so through e-mail, phone, or postcard.
Inter-library Loaning Through First Search
When you have located an item on-line, First Search gives you a button marked ILL (Inter-library Loan). Through this box you can request the material to be inter-library loaned. When you are asked to enter your institution password, use COX to indicate UCCS. This is essential for the material to be delivered efficiently. While the ZAP system asks you to type in personal information once, First Search will ask you to do this every time. The trade off is that you will not have to enter the information on the books or materials you are requesting.
Remember!!!
- Interlibrary loan requests require the following information: Full Title of Book or Article; Full Name of Author; Publication Information, including City, State (Country if applicable), and most recent publicatioin date; ISBN and/or LCN; and Call Number.
- A librarian may not need all of this information to locate a book, but the majority of it is necessary to locate and procure it quickly.
- Searching libraries individually and using search engines in general both have benefits and drawbacks.
- COX is the login for UCCS in any of the Interlibrary loan request programs.