Friday, February 2, 2007, 2:00 p.m.

Getting started. The research process: The LEAP tutorial is a great place to learn about the research process. It includes self-tests to see how you're doing. And it's FUN!

The starting place for your library research is with the "research question." A well articulated, focused question is essential for an effective search of article databases and library catalogs.

If you need assistance in formulating your question or other type of assistance, please ask at the reference desk.

=>Books:
Skyline - Search for items in Auraria Library
Prospector - Search for books in local libraries (ca. 3 working days for delivery).
WorldCat - Books and media available worldwide. Free delivery (1 - 2 weeks) is available. Make sure your item is not available through Skyline or Prospector before initiating an interlibrary loan request.

=>Article Databases:
You can search for articles using databases or indexes. Many provide the full text of the article while some databases display a link to library holdings or a full text search. You can access over 200 databases under article databases and indexes.

Most databases can be accessed 24/7. Make sure you are listed in the LIBRARY database if you wish to access them from off-campus.

America: History and Life : (ABC-CLIO) ONLINE
Index to over 2,000 journals covering the U.S. and Canada from prehistory to the present. Includes book and media reviews and dissertations. Updates monthly. Check the CLIO Notes {lower left hand corner of the screen after you are in the database}, which divides U. S. History into 22 time periods, e.g., The Progressive Era, 1900-1916. Coverage:  index 1964- 

America: History and Life {Print/Paper indexes} are located in the Reference Index area:   INDEX E151 .A447 pt.A {Article abstracts & citations}; INDEX E151.A447 pt. B {Index to Book Reviews}  INDEX E151 .A447 pt.C {American History Bibliography, Books, Articles And Dissertations} and  INDEX E151 .A447 pt.D {Annual Index}.  Our print indexes span the years 1974-1989.  After 1989 the indexes were consolidated (no longer divided into parts A,B,C,D).  We have the consolidated indexes up to 1995, then cancelled the print version and are now purchasing only the on-line version (1964-present).  

Colorado's Historic Newspaper Collection  (Colorado Digitization Program)
Search 18 Colorado newspapers dating from 1859 - 1883 including Colorado Daily Republican & Rocky Mountain Herald, Colorado Miner, Rocky Mountain News Weekly, Denver Daily Times, and the Daily Register Call. Coverage:  1859-1883 

Expanded Academic Index ASAP  (Infotrac)
Index, with abstracts and much full text, to journal and magazine articles in most fields. Coverage:  1980- 

Gold Rush  (Alliance)
Gold Rush is a journal finding tool to help you find the best databases to search for articles on a specific topic or from a specific journal. Gold Rush will also help to determine whether or not you have access to a particular database. Warning: defaults to Alliance holdings when accessed from off campus.

Historical Abstracts  (ABC-CLIO)
Index to over 2000 journals covering world history from 1450 - present. Includes book and media reviews and dissertations. Updates monthly. Excludes U.S. and Canadian history, see: "America: History and Life." Coverage:  1960-

JSTOR  (JSTOR)
An archival suite of full text journals in anthropology, archaeology, ecology, history, language and literature, economics, ecology, mathematics, philosophy, political science, and population studies. Coverage:  Usually from the beginning of publication until 5 years before the present. 

Nineteenth Century Masterfile  (Paratext)
Index to nineteenth century periodical articles, newspaper articles, and government documents. Titles include, among others, Index to Legal Periodicals, 1786-1922, Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, 1802-1906, New York Times Index, 1863-1905, and Harper's Magazine Index, 1850-1892. Citations only. Note:  Formerly known as Poole's Plus: the Digital Index of the Nineteenth Century.

Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1800  (Accessible Archives, Inc.)
The Pennsylvania Gazette is considered the New York Times of the 18th century. It provides the reader with a first hand view of colonial America, the American Revolution, and the New Republic, and offers important social, political and cultural perspectives of the time. Also included is the full-text of such writings as: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Letters from a Farmer, Thomas Payne`s Common Sense, The Federalist Papers, etc. Coverage: 1728-1800 

Primary Source Material. A collection of mostly online, World Wide Web sites we have collected and annotated for easy access by historical researchers.

=>Finding Articles {if not full-text in a journal database}:
Do a periodical title search in Skyline to see if Auraria Library owns the journal title. Be sure you determine the format of the journal if we own it, i.e., is it in print, microfiche, microfilm, or bound? Then visit the Periodicals department at Auraria Library for assistance in finding and copying your articles. If Auraria doesn't own the journal (or the issue you need), you may complete a interlibrary loan form (ILLiad) (interlibrary loan) request for the article, which will be sent, free of charge, to your home address. Interlibrary loan paper forms may be found at the Interlibrary Loan Office, Room 102.

=>Government Publications:A "library within a library." The U. S. government is one of the largest publishers in the United States. The Auraria Library Government Publications window is open weekdays from 10-12 a.m. and 1-5 p.m. You can find an array of statistics, reports, governmental updates, presidential papers, and many other sources. PHONE: 303-556-8372. Explore the links to various government publications on the local (Denver), state, and federal level through the Government Information link on the Auraria Library website.

=>Final Thoughts on Strategy/General Historical Research: Consider how your topic might be organized. Analyze "subject headings" or "descriptors" in Skyline/article indexes. The concept of a CONTROLLED VOCABULARY. We keep the five volumes of the Library of Congress Subject Headings {LCSH} near the reference desk at Z695.U4749. Or use the online version.

Example: LCSH for World War I and World War II:

            World War, 1914-1918 -- Social Aspects {or Political Aspects} {or Economic Aspects} 

World War, 1939-1945 -- Posters  {or Letters}{or Diaries}{or Narratives}

=>Subject headings can be tricky; if you need help, please consult a Reference Librarian.  

In addition, think about non-library resources:  the Colorado Historical Society, Western History Department of the Denver Public Library, Colorado State Archives, the telephone directory, experts in your area of inquiry, the Colorado Historical Society, listservs on the Internet, and brainstorming with colleagues and professors (and your local friendly librarian!).

Good luck with your research!

QUESTIONS? Please come to the reference desk or contact me directly via phone (303-556-8192) or email.