Print Indexes

1
Print Indexes

• LIB 120
• Amanda Izenstark

2
Whats an Index?

• An index is
• Indexes are created by independent companies, not
  by libraries.
• That means that just because you found a
  citation, it does not mean that your library has
  the periodical its in.

3
Index Citations

• The citations will generally include the
  following information

4
Index Citations

• The citation ONLY tells you that an article
  exists.
• To find the article, you need to see if your
  library subscribes to the periodical the article
  appears in.

5
Index Access Points

• Year
• Each volume of a print index covers one year.
  To search multiple years, you need to search
  multiple indexes.
• Subject
• The MAJORITY of indexes provide subject access
  -- not author or title.

6
Finding Articles

• Once you have a citation, to see if the article
  is here, you need to check the HELIN Catalog.
• Search for the article using a title search for
  the name of the periodical.

7
How it all works...

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.

8
How it all works...

• 5.
• 6.
• If you find a citation from a periodical the
  library does not subscribe to,

9
Why Use an Index, Anyway?

10
Print Indexes

• Print Indexes are best for historical research.
• Most people didnt have computers twenty years
  ago, so much of the information created before
  then is not stored online.
• Reference databases generally only cover the last
  10 years (some cover less, some more).

11
Examples of Print Indexes

• Readers Guide to Periodical Literature (1900-)
• New York Times Index (1851-)
• Art Index (1929-)
• General Science Index (1978-)

12
Using Indexes for Research

• Determine which time period your subject covers.
  1850s? 1920s? 1970s? 2000s?
• Find a general or subject-specific index that
  covers your topic.
• Write down citations.
• Search the Catalog for the periodicals.