Your Learning Toolbox: Librarians and the Library Website

Welcome new and returning students! Have you taken full advantage of the librarians and Library website? Consider the following whether you're a novice or an ol' research pro.

Cultivate your research & critical thinking skills

Use the "Ask Us" bulldog to meet or speak with, chat or email a member of the library faculty. Contact us when you're forming a topic, figuring out what you'd like to say in your research assignment, questioning the authority of an author and publisher, revising your search strategies, or any other research activity.

Use Research Guides (by subject and course)

Library faculty have crafted these guides to help you learn about research strategies, habits of mind, and anything else that can develop your scholarship, including recommended resources.

Get quick answers to questions with "How Do I?"

Use "How Do I?" when you want to know, "How do I renew my books? How do I find scholarly articles? How many items may I borrow at a time?"

Follow Library News

Stay informed with Library News. Subscribe to the RSS feed or follow by email to learn about opportunities, exhibits, upcoming changes, and more at your library.

Find databases by resource type

When you visit Article Databases & Online Resources, you can find databases by subject, title, and type of resource. Use this to find newspapers, videos, audio, etc.

Read a specific journal, magazine, or newspaper

Sometimes your professor will recommend a specific journal. To see if the library has it, go to Article Databases & Online Resources and use the "Read a journal, magazine, or newspaper" box. Check if we have the specific year and issue. This isn't always as easy as one might expect so get help at any time.

1Look up a specific article

Sometimes all you'll have is a citation; does Armacost Library have the article you need? To find out, go to Article Databases & Online Resources and use "Look up a specific article." It's not always easy so seek help at any time.

Locate a book

To locate a book, you'll need the location and call number from the Library Catalog. New this year is the ability to view a book's location within the Library. Just click on the location (e.g. Reference, Periodicals, etc.) to view a map.

Save it to a list

When you search the Library Catalog and find a book, music score, CD, or DVD you like but don't have time for just yet, save it to a list. Select the item, click on "Save," and select the list to which you'll save it.

Request, Recall, or Place a Hold

Ever search for something in the Library Catalog and find it's not available? Request, recall, or place a hold by selecting the item, then click on "Request" and follow the directions provided.

Recommend a Library Purchase

Found an excellent book that's missing from the Library Catalog? Log into your library account and suggest that the Armacost Library purchase it and list the course(s) to which it relates.

Receive Alerts When the Library Acquires Something You Like

If you've made a purchase suggestion or if you simply want to know when Armacost Library acquires the latest book from your favorite author log into your Library account, run a search, then click "Save this search." To receive an email when a new title matching your search arrives, view your record, click on "Saved Searches," and select the "Mark for Email" box.

Do you have a favorite learning tool? Let me know by adding a comment below.

Thanks,
Paige

Paige Mann
Physical Sciences Librarian and Web Experiences Librarian