Ohrstrom Blog » Databases

The Primary Source Hunt: OAIster

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Are you too looking for primary sources? Most Humanities V teachers are requiring at least two for completion of a successful research paper. If you’ve looked in all the usual places (such as those listed here in our primary source round-up), yet still aren’t finding quite what you want, consider OAIster.

What is it? OAIster is an online catalog of digitized sources. It is made available by OCLC, a company that provides many library-related services.

It might help to compare this to Ohrstrom Library’s catalog. The Ohrstrom Library catalog searches through the records of our 70,000 print titles. OAIster searches through the records of 23 Million digitized sources from over 1,000 contributors.

What might you find?

A copy of Redon’s journal, contributed by the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
Correspondence from Sigmund Freud to Albert Einstein regarding war contributed by I-Revues.
Sanitary Statistics of Native Colonial Schools and Hospitals by Florence Nightingale contributed by University of California Libraries.
An image of an Alice in Wonderland Float, from Mardi Gra 1938 contributed by the Indiana University Digital Library Program (see image above).
An abstract of a report from the National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams regarding the St. Pauls School Dam contributed by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Repository.

Is it hard to use? The search function is very straightforward, offering a basic search or advanced search. As always, if you would like a little help using this resource please be in touch!

Research Process – The Fifth Form Paper

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:01 +0000

Below are a few tips offered to those of you approaching the Humanities V research paper. Consider consulting the Humanities V Research Guide for a more detailed list of research sources including: reference books, magazines, databases, journal articles, and the free web.

Recommended Research Process

Explore your topic in reference books for a helpful, instant grounding in the topic.
As you locate useful material, cite it. Consider using Noodlebib as your citation management tool.
Take note of special keywords that are specific to your topic. Use these keywords when searching the material described below.
Use keyword and subject searches in Ohrstrom’s online catalog to locate books on your topic.
Use JSTOR and ProQuest to find contemporary periodical articles on your topic.
Use the Times [of London] and the U.S. Historical Newspaper databases to search for primary source newspaper coverage on your topic.
Use American History in Video to search for U.S. newsreels on your topic.
Note: Research rarely goes exactly as planned. You may find you need to veer from, re-sort or revisit the steps listed here.

Most importantly: Please feel free to ask a Librarian for help at any step along the way.

Hopeful Romantics: Accessing the Romantic Poets

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:57:21 +0000

Humanities V students are hopeful about finding sources for their Romantic poets assignment. Here are helpful tips and research strategies for accessing just the right information at Ohrstrom Library, outlined in the following five easy steps:

1. Search the Library’s catalog to locate books:
To find books that can be borrowed visit the Library’s homepage and click on the catalog link – or click HERE:

Next, type in the name of your assigned poet. Be sure to search by subject:

Take down the call numbers and location of any items that are of interest to you.

Tip: Any call number beginning with “Biog” is a biography. All the biographies are located on the lower level of the library in the final stacks.
Tip: If your call number begins with 821, this is a volume of literary criticism. Literary criticism is located on the main level of the library, half-way through the stacks.

2. Use the database Biography Resource for biographical info:
The Biography Resource database is powerful tool containing hundreds of reference texts. To access this database visit the library’s homepage and click on the databases A-J link, and then select Biography Resource – or click HERE.

Next, type in the name of your assigned poet.

Select, read, save, and/or print any reference article(s) of interest.

3. Use selected sets from the printed reference collection for biographies and analysis:
There are four main selections in the reference room that are very helpful for this assignment. The sets are listed below in recommended order:

Ref. 920 Sco3 The Scribner’s British Writers series contains excellent articles on a variety of poets. These articles focus on biography and analysis. While the articles range in length, they are often about 20 pages long. The final volume of the set contains the cumulative index, which, as the articles are not arranged in alphabetical order, is really quite essential.
Ref. 821.9 M27 Magill’s Critical Survey of Poetry also contains biography and analysis. The last volume of this set does not contain the index, which is instead, trickily housed in volume 8.
Ref. 809.1 P13 World Poets is the library’s most current poet-related set. Articles are usually not much longer than five pages.
Ref. 920 J16 v. 5 Volume 5 of the European Writers set focuses specifically on the Romantic Century. Poets are listed in chronological order, not alphabetically, so the index in the final volume is once again essential.

4. Use ARTstor to locate an illustration:
Some assignments require an illustration representing the explicated poem. Try ARTstor as a means of locating this illustration.

To access ARTstor visit the library’s homepage and click on the databases A-J link, and then select ARTstor – or click HERE.

Next, search for images.

Tip: Try searching by title or subject/theme of poem. Searching by poet’s name will often return portraits.
Tip: To locate images created during the Romantic Era, use ARTstor’s advanced search to limit by date. Add keyword(s) related to the subject/theme of the poem being studied.

5. Use Noodlebib to complete the bibliography:
Noodlebib is an excellent tool designed to help both create and store citations. Click HERE for more information about using Noodlebib, or if you know your way around, simply visit the Noodlebib website HERE to begin creating citations right away.

Following these five easy steps will get you well along the way of gathering your research materials for a successful assignment.

New Database: American History in Video

Lura Sanborn — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:00:31 +0000

Ohrstrom Library is pleased to announce its subscription to American History in Video. This database provides access to over 5,000 titles from the 1920s to 2008 including: newsreels, documentaries and government footage.

Every video includes a complete and fully searchable transcript, readable alongside the video.

Videos can be selected from the database by keyword searching, or by multiple categories, including: subjects, historical eras, years, historical events, people, places and topics. Consider browsing by year to locate primary source videos created during the time period you are studying.

Click HERE to access the database.

To cite this source, be sure to give credit to both the creator of the video and to the database.
Example:

Burns, Ken, dir. Civil War. Episode 3, Forever Free (1862). PBS, 1990.

American History in Video. Web. 12 Dec. 2009. .

Fourth Form Paper: Go with the Flowchart!

Lisa Laughy — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:00:20 +0000

You’ve received your assignment and had your class with Ms. Sanborn in the library, but where do you go from there? Go with the flowchart – the Fourth Form Paper Flowchart, that is.

The Fourth Form Paper Flowchart was developed as a companion to the Fourth Form Paper Research guide – as an easy way to visualize the process of writing your Humanities paper. The flowchart is available as a one page PDF document (click HERE) that can be downloaded, saved to your computer desktop, printed out for ready reference, and/or hung on the wall as a constant guide. Hypertext links have been embedded into the PDF for the online elements, making it possible to click through to the resource described. Following the flowchart step-by-step will help you see where you are in the research process and what still needs to be done – assisting with time management so you can avoid a last minute crunch.

Save it, print it, post it, bookmark it, or favorite it, just be sure to take advantage of this great new reference resource!

Primary Source Round-up: Something for Everyone

Lura Sanborn — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:29 +0000

Lura Sanborn - Reference Librarian

Gathering primary sources for your Fifth Form paper? Ohrstrom Library offers the following sources and suggestions:

Online Databases:
These databases, available through the Library’s website, are those most commonly used by Fifth Formers looking for primary source periodical material.

London Times – Provides the full-text of this newspaper from 1785-1985.

Historical Newspaper Collection – Provides the full-text of 6 major U.S. newspapers from 1851 through the early 2000s.

JSTOR – features a collection of 750+ journals, most dating from at least the 1800s forward. (Note, be sure to watch the date. A recent article on your topic represents current research, not a likely primary source.)

Books – More Primary Source Potential:
You can locate primary sources published in book form by using the following terms as subject searches in the Library’s Online Catalog. Or, conduct a keyword search using one term below combined with your topic (i.e. Correspondence, Darwin; or Sources, Inquisition).

Correspondence
Diaries
Interviews
Personal narratives
Speeches
Sources

Frequently, primary sources are embedded within books considered secondary sources. For example, a book about the Cold War may contain the text of a relevant speech, letter and/or legal document.

Venturing Online – Visit the Library @ Delicious:
The Library has begun collecting high quality websites in its own Delicious account. Click on the “Primary Sources” tag to generate a list of websites housing exceptional collections of primary sources. Top picks are also listed in the Fifth Form paper research guide.

Google Advanced Search Techniques:
As a final online tip, try searching your subject in Google, but first, limit the domain to .edu and add the word archives to your search string. If a University or College library has digitized a special collection in your area of research, this search could help you find it.

Spotlight On: Historical Newspaper Collection Timelines

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:46:22 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

Looking for a quick collection of newspaper articles related to significant events in U.S. history? Try using the Timeline feature in the Historical Newspaper Collection database.

First, access the Historical Newspaper Collection database through the Ohrstrom Library website by clicking HERE.

Once at the Historical Newspaper Collection website select the “Timeline” tab near the top of the screen:

Choose your time and topic:

Select the subtopic of your choice:

And behold, a list of newspaper articles about that particular subject:

Fantastic!

New Embedded Search Box is EBSCO-licious!

Lisa Laughy — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:23:19 +0000

Lisa Laughy -Archives Assistant

The Ohrstrom Library Database web page now has a new search box for the EBSCOHost suite of databases. The new embedded search box allows users to start searching EBSCO’s sixteen databases right from the library website without the need to navigate through the EBSCO launch and database selection screens. The new embedded search box provides seamless access to EBSCOHost’s thousands of resources including:

magazines
journals
newspapers
selected reference material

Once your search is executed you can access advanced search options including selecting specific databases to focus your search results. EBSCOHost database searches are faster and more direct thanks to the new embedded search box. Try a search now and see how efficient it is: then consider adding EBSCOHost to your arsenal of research tools for your next homework assignment.

The New York Times: All the news that’s fit to print (or surf)

Lura Sanborn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:59:57 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

There are several ways to access The New York Times through Ohrstrom Library – online or in the library, choose the one that fits your needs and stay connected to a great source of information.

Current News: Come to the library! We love to see you! The print version of The New York Times is delivered to the library daily and is available in the periodicals room on the library’s main level.
Can’t make it in? Try ProQuest (available from the library’s website HERE) providing access to the New York Times from 1980 to the present day. Select the publications tab and search for “New York Times”. Or, for instant gratification, use THIS LINK (so long as you’re online on campus).

Historical News: Feeling old-school? We have The New York Times archive, 1851-2008, available on microfilm on the library’s lower level.

For Easier Access: Consider using The Historical Newspaper Collection. This online database, available at the library’s website HERE, provides access to The New York Times from 1851-2001 (as well as a few other newspapers).

Fun search fact: Check out the search box in the upper right-hand corner to quickly search headlines appearing on your birthday.

RSS Feed: The Times offers a wide selection of RSS feeds in a variety of themes. Customize the daily feed headlines coming to your feed reader to support your own special interests in news. You can access the list of feeds HERE.

ARTstor Image Resources for Humanities V

Lura Sanborn — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:08:36 +0000

Lura Sanborn – Reference Librarian

In Hum. V? Looking for inspiration for your Renaissance art research project? Deciding which artist/painting combination to write about? Try ARTstor!

What is it? – ARTstor is an image database containing nearly one million images. (We have other databases, such as Oxford Art Online, ProQuest & JSTOR, to help with artists biographical information & art analysis.)

How do I use it? – Visit the library web site & select ARTstor from the list of databases. You can search by keyword, such as artist’s name or title of work.

(The ARTstor search page with detail below)

Now, browse the results for inspiration:

Too much? Overwhelmed? For a smaller selection of images, try the advanced search mode and add another keyword:

(Select “Advanced Search” from the pull-down menu to bring up the window shown below.)

(You’ve gone from 171 entries to 8 by adding one additional keyword.)

Once you’ve found your inspiration, consider using these other library online databases for biographical and analytical information: Oxford Art Online, ProQuest, and JSTOR.