This document provides an overview of resources and services available from Brookens Library at the University of Illinois Springfield to assist students with research. It outlines online and physical resources, defines key terms, and describes how to search the catalog and databases to find books, articles, and eBooks. Tips are provided for defining search terms, accessing full texts, and getting help from library staff.

1. getting started with your research
BROOKENS LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
SPRINGFIELD

2. Library Resources
 Online Resources
 Databases
 E-Books
 Government Documents
 Physical Resources
 Books (Main Collection; Reference Collection; Legal
Collection; State and Federal Government Documents)
 Periodicals (magazines, journals and newspapers)
 Media Collection

3. Before getting started…
1. Think about the Information Cycle:
WATCH tutorial (Penn State Libraries)
2. Familiarize yourself with the requirements for the
paper/project
 How many sources do you need?
 What types of sources do you need?
 How current do your sources need to be?
 Do you need academic/scholarly/peer-reviewed sources?
3. Find out what it means to be
academic/scholarly/peer-reviewed

4. Define your Keywords
You can enter an entire question in the Google search box and often get some relevant
results… but that is not true for the library resources
When using the catalog and other databases:
1. Pull out the keywords from your thesis statement or question
 Q: Does the use of cell phones cause cancer?
 Keywords: “cell phones” and “cancer”
2. Create a list of synonyms
 Cell phones>cellular phones>mobile phones>wireless phones
 Cancer>health (broader) AND [types of cancer] (narrower)
3. Identify who might be writing about this topic
In which disciplines would scholars be researching this topic?
Important to think about when trying to find subject-specific
databases.

5. Accessing Resources from Off-
Campus
What do you need?
Electronic Resources (NetID and Password)
This is the same login you use for Blackboard

6. Easy Access to Library
Resources

7. Finding Articles
 By DATABASE (See Databases)
 By SUBJECT (See Research Guides)
 By JOURNAL TITLE (See Journals Tab)
 BY ARTICLE TITLE (See Quick Search)
 Google Scholar

8. Finding Known Articles
Using a citation to find an article:
 Follow the steps in this quick video
If we do not have access to the article in print or
through any of our databases, conduct a search in
1) Google Scholar and finally 2) Google
 Still cannot find it? Request a copy through ILL
(Interlibrary Loan)
 Students that do not live within driving distance of
UIS should request articles through ILL if they are
not available electronically through one of the
library databases

9. Research Guides:
Discipline-Specific Resources
Click on Research Guides to access: http://libguides.uis.edu/
Click on the
tabs to find
specific
types of
sources
Each librarian is
assigned to various
departments. You
can find which
librarian is assigned
to a department
from the Research
Guide. Students
can arrange for a
one-on-one
research
consultation. We
offer them in-
person, by phone
or online via chat.

10. Database Search Tips
Keywords: Separate your search terms into different boxes
Sorting Features: Look at how your search results are organized (by date, etc.)
Navigation Tools: Using the “back” button in some databases will cause you to
lose your search results
OR

11. Limit your search results
May need to
click on
“Show
More” to
limit results
to scholarly
(peer-
reviewed)
Source
Type
TIP: Do not limit your search results to full text; the “Find It” button searches for the full
text across all of the UIS databases

12. Click on the title for more information
Click on the source
title to find out
more information
about it
(audience, frequenc
y, peer-reviewed)
Modify your search
to include the subject
terms assigned to
relevant articles
Read the abstract
to find out if the
article is relevant
to your topic
before printing it

13. Information about Publication
Audience
Need more information? Consult Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory (available in
Print at the Reference Desk). Call us if you cannot access the book.

14. Accessing the Full Text
If you see the HTML or PDF icons you know that you have some form of If you do not see the HTML or PDF icons you may still be able to access
direct access to the full-text of the article through this database. the article from another database (click on n butt button). If we
own the full text you will see different databases listed below. Click
on GO.
Don’t see any full text databases?
On-campus students should check to see if
the Brookens Library owns the year and
volume for the physical copy of the journal.
If so, you can come in and make a copy.
Online students can request a copy of
the article electronically through
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

15. E-mail the Article
Click on the e-mail icon to send the citation and article to yourself
Sample e-mail with formatted citation and attached PDF

16. Finding Books
1. UIS Catalog (“Books and Media”)
2. I-Share Catalog (view I-Share libraries)
3. Quick Search – simultaneously searches
across the print and electronic holdings at
Brookens Library, I-Share Libraries, and
Libraries Worldwide
Illinois students: tutorial on how to use I-Share
Distance students: tutorial on how to request books via ILL

17. eBooks
 Search in the UIS Catalog, Quick Search or Google
Scholar for e-books, or
 Search directly in these databases:
 eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
 Wiley Online Library (humanities and sciences)
 IEEE Xplore (computer science)
 Springer eBooks (sciences)
 Google Books (read the full-text of books in the public
domain – published before 1923)
 ACLS Humanities E-Book (humanities)
 Brill eBooks (humanities)

18. Quick Search
Limiters
eBook
Book
Article
Article
Database

19. Quick Search: Tips and Tricks
 Access from our website (not WorldCat.org)
 Use the limiters to narrow your search results
(eBooks, Articles, Full Text, Peer-Reviewed Journals)
 If you find a relevant article, click on the title and “Check
for Electronic Resources” button. If we do not have
electronic access, check our print holdings.
 Do not limit your search to “UIS Brookens Library.” The first
results returned are from UIS. If we do not own an item
you can place I-Share and ILL requests directly from Quick
Search.
 Online students that do not live within driving distance of
UIS can request articles via Interlibrary Loan if not available
electronically through one of the library databases.

20. Google Scholar

21. Google Scholar: Tips and Tricks
 Access from our website (not from Google Scholar)
 Contains books and articles
 Best for sciences and social sciences
 Nice for previews of books (Google Books)
 “Advanced Scholar Search” allows you to limit your
results by author, publications, dates, subject
areas, and legal opinions (by federal and/or state)

22. Requesting and checking out books
as a distance/online learner
 To have books sent to you from UIS and to make I-Share
and ILL requests you will need to have your Library ID
Number. This ID number is located on your I-Card.
 You can get this number from the Springfield Campus I-
Card Center without needing to request a physical I-Card;
however, if you plan to pick up a book from UIS or another
I-Share library you will need to have your physical ID.
 Contact the Springfield I-Card Center with questions

23. Book Borrowing Privileges
UIS Library
 Undergraduate students, alumni, and special borrowers
can check out UIS materials for 4 weeks, with 3 renewals
 Graduate/doctoral students, faculty, and staff can check
out UIS materials for 16 weeks, with 6 renewals
I-Share Libraries
 All students, faculty and staff can check out materials for 4
weeks, with 3 renewals
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
 Due dates determined by the lending library
NOTE: Online students have the same privileges for UIS materials

24. Getting Help: Resources
 Tutorials (http://www.youtube.com/user/UISlibrary)
 Research Guides (http://libguides.uis.edu/)
 Reference Sources (http://libguides.uis.edu/fastfacts)
 Citation Guides
 http://libguides.uis.edu/citations
 Center for Teaching and Learning

25. Getting Help: Services
 Reference Desk (See Hours)
 Chat (operates during Reference Desk hours)
 Phone (217-206-6633)
 E-mail
 Schedule a consultation with a librarian (in-person, or
by phone, e-mail or chat)
 Online and in-person tutoring offered by the Center
for Teaching and Learning in writing, reading, math
and science

26. Chat and Email Services
Email
Chat

27. How to keep in touch?
 Like us on Facebook
 Follow us on Twitter
 Subscribe to our blog
 Follow our tutorials on YouTube
 See photos of us on Flickr

28. We are your library. Let us know
what you think!
 Submit Comments/Suggestions online anytime
 Contact your library liaison
 Communicate with us on our blog, Facebook, Twitter