Introduction to the Library

IUCAT, the Indiana University Libraries online catalog, is the key to finding books, newspapers, videos, and other research materials in the Library. Use this quick guide and the online tutorial to teach yourself how to use IUCAT like an expert. Don't stop with the basics--be sure to go through the "Beyond the Basics" section too.

In your first assignment, each team will explore a different area (physical or virtual) of the Library. Here's an overview of what you can expect to find in each area.

Team 1. Reference Reading Room. Located on the first floor of the east (taller) tower of the Main Library, this is where to find dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases and other reference books. Be sure to take a look at the American Decades series (call number E169.12 .A419 1994). On your way into the Reference Room, notice the Reference Desk. Whenever the Library is open, there are always people at the Reference Desk who can help you with your research. You can also email or instant message the Reference Staff from anywhere you happen to be working.

Team 2. Research Collections Stacks. Most of the Library's print collection is shelved in the east (taller) tower of the building, known as "Research Collections," floors 4 through 11. "Stacks" is just a term that means "the part of the library where books are shelved." (No one knows why!) You'll find books, magazines, and journals here--about 4 million volumes! You might get totally lost if you head into the stacks without looking in IUCAT first to find call numbers for the items you want--but for your first visit, you might want to go up to the 4th floor and look for call numbers starting with AP. That's where old magazines are shelved--they can be a good way to learn about everyday life in the recent past.

Team 3. Kent Cooper Reading Room. Take the escalator down from the Lobby to get to this area. Three different collections are kept here, the Media collection (videos, DVDs and audio recordings), the Reserve readings collection (books that are assigned reading for a class but are out-of-print or too expensive for students to buy), and new periodicals (the most recent issues of journals and magazines that the Library subscribes to--older issues are found in the Research Collections Stacks in hard-back volumes that look just like books). For your IFS work, the Media collection will probably be the most useful. Use IUCAT to find old movies, videos of oral history interviews, and more. (Hint: use the "Advanced Search" feature on IUCAT and limit the format to "Video"--like this.

Team 4. Government Publications and Microforms. Take the escalator up from the Lobby to get to this area. The U.S. Government collects and publishes information on every topic you can think of. Those publications are collected here. The staff here can also help you find your way through the huge amount of information the government makes available on the web. Also in this area, you will find the Microforms collection. Microfilm and microfiche are very simple information storage methods that are still considered the safest way to store information for the long term (30 years from now, when computing technology is totally different, you might not be able to read your computer files from 2003, but microtechnology will still work!?) Old newspapers, which are sometimes the only source for information about local events, are available here in the Microforms collection.

Team 5. "Find Information" web page (www.libraries.iub.edu/findinfo). This is your gateway to electronic resources provided by the Library. Unlike the free resources we all use everyday on the web, these are resources that cost money--and they're worth it--electronic versions of magazines and newspapers, databases that give you acccess to thousands of journals and other academic and business research materials. Take a look at the "Top 10 Resources" (on the far right, middle of the page). Academic Search Premier, Factiva, ERIC, and Lexis-Nexis are resources that you will use all through college.

Documenting your sources is a basic necessity of academic life. All the sources you use for your written work need to be documented, using an approved citation style. Here's a guide to two of the most commonly used styles. Either one is fine for this class, just choose one and stick to it.

Multi-media equipment. Digital cameras, video cameras (digital and VHS) and laptops are available for student use. Visit Undergraduate Library Services, on the 4th floor of the west (shorter) tower of the Main Library. Staff there can also tell you about expanded multi-media resources that will be available in the all-new Information Commons, opening when the semester starts.

Celestina Wroth ( cewroth@indiana.edu)

Librarian for History, Religious Studies,

and History & Philosophy of Science

Main Library E560, Indiana University

Bloomington, IN 47405, (812) 855-1336

Last updated July 30, 2003