Pendergraft Library: Quick Guide to Library Research

Quick Guide to Library Research

Begin your research at the library homepage: http://library.atu.edu.
If you wish to print this guide and are using Internet Explorer 6, you will have to set the page orientation to landscape.

Looking for a book?

To locate a book in paper use the Library Catalog.

To locate a book in electronic form, you may use the Library Catalog as well as NetLibrary. ATU's NetLibrary collection contains an additional 19,000 online books.

For books that Tech does not own, try WorldCat – books in this database may be borrowed using InterLibrary Loan. To access WorldCat from any page, go to the Find Articles tab located in the above horizontal menu and click on Search Article and Reference Databases.

To search simultaneously the online Library catalog and WorldCat, go to WebFeat and select OCLC WorldCat and Pendergraft Library Catalog in the list of resources.

Looking for a journal article?

Do you know your subject?

If so then go to Databases by Subject will allow you to view a subject heading list. Upon selecting a subject, a list of databases will be displayed for that particular subject.

Under Databases by Subject, don't forget to try the General subject heading as well. Under the General subject heading are databases that are not limited to a specific subject. These databases contain information spanning many disciplines.

Do you know the title of the journal you want?

If so then use:

e-Magazines or e-Journals
The search screen automatically defaults to the Titles tab allowing you to search for a specific journal title. You are then provided with a list of database links from which that journal title may be accessed.

Library Catalog
Use the Library Catalog to locate journal titles that are available in paper format in the Library. At the Find Results In drop down box, select Journal Title, then enter your journal title in the Search For drop down box.

You may also browse a list of magazines and journals owned by Tech. You can also access this page from the dropdown menu. Once you locate a journal title, click on the View Library Holding link to view additional holdings information.

How do you locate the entire article, either online or in print, if you only have a citation?

Online: search other Databases.
Go to e-Magazines or e-Journals and do a search for the journal title. If the title is available, a list of databases will appear. Each database link will take you directly to the journal in that particular database. Each database will then prompt you to choose which year, issue, volume, etc., of the journal title you wish to search.

In Print: : search the Library Catalog.
At the Find Results In drop down box select Journal Title. Then enter the journal title in the Search For box. If the title comes up in the search results list, then Tech owns it. If your search comes up with the message, Your search resulted in no hits, then you need to request your article through Interlibrary Loan.

Need Further assistance?

Please call the Reference Desk at (479) 964-0570.