How Do I…Find Information?

 

The library is an excellent source of information for your questions.  When in doubt, come to the library!  Here are some of the top sources in our library:

 

 

Library Staff

 

The best source of information is the person behind the Check Out desk.  Library staff is trained to help you make sense of the world of information.  We may not know the answer off the top of our head, but we know where to look for it!  Among other things, we can help you locate books on particular topics, recommend helpful websites, and show you how to use the online catalog.  Stop by and see us.  We’re happy to help!

 

Reference Books

 

Reference books are shelved on the three low shelves in front of the DVD and VHS shelves.  Reference books are a great place to start your search because they provide easy access to reliable information.  Reference books are also valuable because they are authoritative; in fact, it is often easier to find reliable information in reference books than online!  For more information, see our handout:  How Do I…Use Reference Books?

 

Online Catalog

 

Remember when libraries used to have card catalogs?  We still do!  The only difference is that it is online at www.tds.sirsi.net.   Plus, the online catalog provides many more options than the old card catalogs.  The online catalog, iBistro, provides access to all materials in our library and libraries in our nine-county system.  You can search for books and other materials, place holds on items, and check your library account.  The library provides four computers reserved specifically for the online catalog.  Two are located near the Check Out desk, and two are located near the Children’s Area.  You can also access iBistro from any computer by going to www.tds.sirsi.net.  For more information, see our handout:  How Do I…Find Books and Other Materials?

 

Dewey Decimal System

 

There are many ways to arrange books; early libraries used to arrange books by size in order to save space.  Imagine the difficulties in finding what you want!  Our library uses the Dewey Decimal System, which groups materials according to subject.  Therefore, all books on diabetes are shelved together, as are all books on cats.  When you find a book on a topic you are interested in, browse the books on nearby shelves.  You’re likely to find other books or videos that will be useful.  For more information on how the system is arranged, as well as popular Dewey Decimal call numbers, consult our handout:  How Do I…Make Sense of Dewey Decimal?

Online

 

In the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of information available online.  The Internet can be a wonderful resource for information—we often use it ourselves to find quick facts!  Commonly used search engines include Google (www.google.com) and Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com).  At these sites, you can enter search terms into the search boxes and find information.

 

But is it as good as it seems?  Often, yes it is!  You can find a number of reliable websites on the Internet.  But not all Internet sites are created equal.  One of the greatest blessings of the Internet is also its curse:  Anybody can post anything on the Internet.  You can find websites that are very reliable and other websites where fiction is published as fact.  Searcher beware!  For tips on searching the Internet, as well as ways to determine if a site is reliable or not, consult our handout:  How Do I…Find Information Online?

 

Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM)

 

ELM is a fantastic source made available at our library through the MINITEX Library Information Network with assistance from the State of Minnesota.  ELM provides access to hundreds of thousands of magazine and newspaper articles, thousands of electronic books, and over 50 million titles from a worldwide catalog.

 

All Minnesotans who have a library card can access ELM.  To get to the ELM databases, go to our library catalog at www.tds.sirsi.net.  There is a link to the ELM databases on the green menu bar.  When you click the link, it will take you to a list of available resources.  To look for magazine and newspaper articles or electronic books, click on a subject category that interests you.  You will be taken to a list searchable databases appropriate to your subject.  Click on one of the recommended databases to begin your search.  There are lots of resources for students as well, accessible by clicking on Resources for Kids & Teens.

 

In order to access the resources, you will be asked to provide your library number, which is the barcode listed on the back of your card.  For more information on these resources, consult our guides: How Do I...Find Magazine and Newspaper Articles? and How Do I...Read Electronic Books?

 

Legal Information

 

You are welcomed to use the Westlaw computer to find current legal information.  The Westlaw computer is located near the Check Out desk.  For more details and help on using the resource, ask a staff member or see our guide:  How Do I…Use Westlaw?

 

MnLink

 

If you aren’t finding what you want in our library or in any library in our system, you can search other libraries in Minnesota and request items from those libraries.  MnLink provides access to catalogs of most Minnesota libraries.  To access MnLink, go to www.tds.sirsi.net and click on MnLink.  For more information on using MnLink, see our guide:  How Do I…Find Books at Other Libraries?        Last revised 3/1/06, SPPL