This document provides training for student staff on how to help patrons with basic library research questions. It outlines the steps to take which include conducting a reference interview to determine the patron's needs, demonstrating how to use the library catalog and databases to find relevant resources, and explaining how to create citations. The training emphasizes asking for help from a librarian if unsure how to assist the patron and directing patrons to make a research appointment or use chat with a librarian when immediate assistance is needed.

1. Q. “CAN YOU HELP ME FIND INFO ON JUNGLE INSECTS?”
RESEARCH HELP INSTRUCTION FOR THC STUDENT STAFF
Jenifer Phelan
Visiting Assistant Librarian
Memorial Library
SUNY Cortland

2. WHAT TO DO - AND - WHEN TO DO IT
 Identify whether the question is research based.
 Is a Librarian on duty? Y/N
 The Librarian is not on duty …
 Hopefully we can give you some research tools for these situations.

3. AGENDA:
 Asking Questions: Called the Reference Interview
 Quick Tour of the Myreddragon Library Tab
 ONESearch discussion
 How to distinguish between types of information resources
 How to limit to specific types of information resources
 How to create citations
 Library Research Guides
 Librarian Appointments & Ask Us 24/7 chat
 Classic Catalog
 Library Databases

4. REFERENCE INTERVIEW
 Q. Can you help me find info on jungle insects?
 What do you, as the Research Help professional, need to know?
 Asking questions is called a Reference Interview.
 Q. What class do you need this information for?
 Biology
 Art
 Early Childhood Education
 Q. What type of information do you need?
 Scholarly Articles
 Images: Drawings or Photographs
 Children’s Books

5. AT THIS POINT ASK YOURSELF …
“CAN I HELP WITH THIS QUESTION?”
Yes
 Go for it!
 When you are finished ask if the student has
what they need and suggest making an
Appointment with a Librarian to get further
help
No way … and please remember - that is
ok!
 Suggest the student make an Appointment with a
Librarian
 Or use the 24/7 Librarian Chat option if time is an issue

6. ONESEARCH
Types of Information Resources
 To limit your search to a specific information
type, like Academic Journals, use the Source
Type box on the left hand side bar and check
Academic Journals.
To tell what type of source your ONESearch results
notice the icons.
Academic Journals
Book
Magazines
Newspapers
Encyclopedia

7. ONESEARCH & CITATIONS
How to Create Citations
 On the result
page for the
article you want
to cite use the
right hand side
bar and choose
“Cite.”
Choose Citation Format: APA, MLA, Chicago,
etc.
 When the Citation Format box opens copy and
paste the citation in the format you need.

8. CHECK CITATION ACCURACY
ONESearch Citations should be
checked
 Remember to check them for accuracy
 It is always a good idea to double check
and make sure a citation is correct by
using the style manual.
 Style manuals are available at the
Research Help Desk as well as online
How to Check Citations for Accuracy
 Go to the
Library tab in
MyRedDrago
n and choose
any of the
Library
Research
Guides
 Click on the
Citation tab
 Click on the
OWL Purdue
guide for your
citation style

9. LIBRARY RESEARCH GUIDES (FIND ON THE LIBRARY TAB BELOW THE ONESEARCH BOX)
General
 Academic Integrity
 Almost all Library Guides include a Tab labelled
Citation with a link to OWL Purdue
 Videos
Subject Specific
 Choose from the drop down menu a discipline
 Then choose the general guide or a specific
guide
 Librarian contact information will be listed

10. APPOINTMENTS & 24/7 CHAT (FIND ON THE LIBRARY TAB TO THE RIGHT OF THE ONSEARCH BOX)
Librarian Appointments
 Link to the form to request an appointment with
a Librarian. Perhaps help the student fill out the
form.
 Student should be aware it may be a few days
depending on the Librarian’s schedule
 Whenever the Research Help Desk is closed Ask
Us 24/7 Chat is available.
 “Ask Us 24/7” Chat is staffed by Librarians from
across the country and around the world. They
may not work in our library but they can help
answer research questions.
Ask Us 24/7 Chat

11. CLASSIC CATALOG: (FIND ON A TAB IN THE ONESEARCH BOX)
TMC: Use the Classic Catalog to find specific things in the Teaching Materials Center
like a picture book about fractions.
 Choose the “Classic Catalog” tab in the search box.
Hit “Search” no need to enter search terms. This
will take you to the Basic Search where you can
limit to a specific Collection. Choose TMC from the
dropdown.
 Enter the search term fractions.
 Now look for the results that have a call number
starting with “TMC Easy” and you will know it is
a “picture book” aka Easy Reader. See below
results #1 and #2.

12. CLASSIC CATALOG: PERIODICALS (JOURNALS) & SERIALS (BOOKS)
Use the Classic Catalog to determining if we own a specific
issue when there are multiple issues or yearly editions
 Journal example: Search Journal of the
American Chemical Society as a title.
 Then click the “Is it here?” link to see a list.
 Serial example: Search The State of Black
America as a title.
 Then click the “Is it here?” link to see a list.

13. LIBRARY DATABASES (FIND ON A TAB IN THE ONESEARCH BOX)
By Subject
 Drop down menu
Alphabetically
 A-Z listing
 Use the Library Database tab when you need
a specific Library Database like “PsycINFO” or
specific databases on a certain topic like
“Education.”

14. QUESTIONS?
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS TRAINING.
EMAIL: JENIFER.PHELAN@CORTLAND.EDU