Resources for Resources for GOVT 387, Fall GOVT 387, Fall

20062006Dr. Tony FonsecaDr. Tony Fonseca

Serials LibrarianSerials Librarian

tony.fonseca@nicholls.edutony.fonseca@nicholls.edu

Library Main PageLibrary Main Page

You will see the Power Search link below the main search box

The iLink Power The iLink Power SearchSearch

Here we have put in our search term, and limited ourselves to books (under

Type), which will weed out government documents

ResultsResults

This search was not helpful, but note the sub-classifications on the right. One of them, Political Institutions and Public Administration, may be just the ticket. It is a link, so you can click on it.

Our new results listOur new results list

Granted, this limited us to 11 hits, but we know the relevancy is high. By clicking on Details, we can see the Item Record for any of these books.

Details (Item Record)Details (Item Record)

If we click on the tab that says Catalog Record we can actually find out the correct Subject Terms to use to do this search effectively, in this case, policy sciences.

Follow the Subject Follow the Subject Links…Links…

Ilink has rerun the search as a Subject Heading search: policy sciences. It found 42 titles.

A more relevant results A more relevant results listlist

But Ellender isn’t the only But Ellender isn’t the only library in the world….library in the world….

Go to Electronic Research Databases, and click on WorldCat

What if you could search What if you could search EVERYEVERY catalog in the catalog in the

world….world….

Guess what. WorldCat does that.

What might you find?What might you find?

You can limit those results by simply clicking on the icon that says Limit (top left, below Detailed Record)

Here we limit by Subject Headings

A total of 41,000 books to choose A total of 41,000 books to choose from, which can be further limited from, which can be further limited to post 2000 titlesto post 2000 titles

Again, use the Limit icon and choose Year.

And they are all available through And they are all available through Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) if Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) if Ellender does not have themEllender does not have them

You can also find articles on You can also find articles on political topics, like public political topics, like public

policypolicy

Once again go to our Electronic Research Databases

Notice they are arranged by subject (the third link)

Here are your Government Here are your Government databasesdatabases

You can click on and search any one, for example Military and Government Collection

We can try the search term public policy, AND limit our results to full-text articles

We get 2055 Hits, all Full-TextWe get 2055 Hits, all Full-Text

Notice the pdf full-text version of the 9th article

Basically, you get a Basically, you get a photocopy delivered to your photocopy delivered to your

desktopdesktop

You can also limit your You can also limit your searches to titlessearches to titles

This returns 191 hits. You may This returns 191 hits. You may see some html Full-Textsee some html Full-Text

These are also legitimate forms of full-text. They are just a little more difficult to cite. Let’s look at one (the 2nd article).

When you cite these, you have to cite the database.

And remember….And remember….

If we do not have an article as full-If we do not have an article as full-text, we may have it in print, and text, we may have it in print, and you can photocopy it. Ask a librarian you can photocopy it. Ask a librarian how to determine this.how to determine this.

If we do not have an article in full-If we do not have an article in full-text nor in print, we can always text nor in print, we can always Interlibrary Loan it for you. Again, a Interlibrary Loan it for you. Again, a librarian can tell you how to do this.librarian can tell you how to do this.

If you don’t happen to be in the library If you don’t happen to be in the library by the way, all you have to do is call by the way, all you have to do is call the Reference Desk, at 448-4625. The the Reference Desk, at 448-4625. The librarian on duty can talk you through librarian on duty can talk you through the process of determining if we have the process of determining if we have something in print.something in print.

Just make sure you have opened an Just make sure you have opened an Interlibrary Loan account with Interlibrary Loan account with Nicholls.Nicholls.

Start at the Library Mainpage….Start at the Library Mainpage….

Under Services, click on Under Services, click on Interlibrary LoanInterlibrary Loan

Go to the ILLiad link in the Go to the ILLiad link in the first paragraph first paragraph

Click on First Time Users, follow Click on First Time Users, follow the directions, and voila, you are the directions, and voila, you are

donedone

So you see, thanks to database So you see, thanks to database interfaces, WorldCat, and the interfaces, WorldCat, and the ability to perform Power ability to perform Power Searches, articles are Searches, articles are literally at your fingertips, literally at your fingertips, and almost any book in the and almost any book in the world could be in your hands world could be in your hands in no time…in no time…