Freshman Seminar Presentation

1
Freshman Seminar Presentation

• Northwestern University Library
• Fall 2008

2
Agenda

• Facts about the library
• Library Services
• Library Resources
• Researching my topic
• NUCat
• Electronic Resources

3
Welcome

• Library Collection Includes
• 4 million books
• 500 databases
• 38,000 periodicals
• Plus . . . free DVD rentals, digitized poster
  collections, yearbooks from 1900, and more

4
Multiple Buildings on Two Campus

• Main Library
• http//www.library.northwestern.edu/hours/
• Science and Engineering Library
• Schaffner Library (downtown Chicago)
• Pritzker Legal Research Center (downtown Chicago)
• Galter Health Sciences Library (downtown Chicago)

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Specialized Libraries in Main Building

• Transportation Library
• Africana Library
• Art Library
• Music Library
• Special Collections
• University Archives

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We have Computers too!

• Information Commons
• Reference Room
• Periodicals and Newspaper Reading Room
• Core/Reserve
• Africana
• Music Library
• Transportation Library
• Art Library
• We also have data ports and power outlets for
  laptops many areas of the library have access to
  the universitys wireless network.

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Library Services

• Circulation
• Borrow
• Renew
• Recall
• Request Materials from Chicago Campus/Storage
  Facility
• Reciprocal borrowing privileges at the University
  of Chicago
• InterLibrary Loan

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Library Services

• Reference
• Phone [phone]
• Email refdept_at_northwestern.edu
• Online Chat
• Research Guides
• Workshops and Tours

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Library Resources

• NUcat Northwesterns library catalog
• Access books via title, author, keyword, etc
• Set limits by type of materials (manuscript vs
  VHS vs musical score)
• Find out if NU has a periodical (journal) and
  if it is available in print or online

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Library Resources

• Electronic Resources
• Databases (General vs Specialized)
• General (Expanded Academic ASAP Academic Search
  Premier)
• Specialized (PsycInfo Sociological Abstracts
  ERIC Business Source Premier, etc.)
• Off-campus access with EZproxy or VPN

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Lots of others

• You can check out an entire season of Greys
  Anatomy in the Mitchell Multimedia Center?
• Look at a large collection of underground comic
  books in Special Collections?
• Study Edward Curtiss photographs of North
  American Indians online?
• Edit video files in MediaWorks?
• Buy a latte and a muffin at the Plaza Cafe?
• You can use the Career Lab and Writing place in
  the library?
• Work as a student assistant in the library?

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Evaluating Information Sources

• PURPOSE To inform? To sell or advertise? To
  entertain?To persuade?
• AUTHORITY Who is the author and what are his or
  her qualifications? Who is the publisher?
• ACCURACY Is the information accurate? How does it
  compare with other information?Many Web resources
  not verified by editors and/or fact checkers
• OBJECTIVITYIs the information biased? Does it
  promote one perspective above others?
• CURRENCY Is the information recent enough for
  your needs?
• COVERAGE Is the source complete enough for your
  needs? Is any information missing?