Library Assignment for Incoming Freshman and Transfer Students
Please answer the following 10 questions to the best of your ability. If you do not know an
answer to a question, do not forget to ASK A LIBRARIAN for help.
1. Please locate the Reference desk and retrieve from the attendant the code word for this
assignment. The reference desk of a library is where professional librarians provide
library users with direction to library materials, advice on library collections and services,
and expertise on multiple kinds of information from multiple sources.
Note: This question is to introduce and familiarize students with the location of the reference
desk. This provides them with confidence to find it again, as well as providing a direct
interaction with one of the librarians working the desk. Often students do not go to the reference
desk because they don’t know where it is or they don’t want to “bother” the person working at
the desk. By creating an interaction with the students and the librarians this miscommunication
can be avoided.
2. Please locate a student copy machine in the library. Fill in the blanks: The copy
machine I found was located on the _______ level and the code word on the machine is
________.
Note: This question will introduce students to the student copier/printer which they may likely
use throughout their career at the school. By encouraging them to locate the floor the machine
was one with interact them with their surroundings rather than just wandering around until the
find one and then moving on to the next question.
3. Through the University Library Catalog locate a reference book on a topic of your
choice at the SJSU King Library using the advanced search. Use the call number to
locate this book in the library stacks.
If you need help locating the book make sure you ask a librarian for help.
Narrow your search by the following criteria:
Subject: Subject searches, on the other hand, only return results in which the term being
used appears in the subject field. Databases have different interfaces and use different
terms, but most will provide these two options for searching.
Keyword: Keyword searches are similar to Internet searches with Google in that the
database will look for the words you use wherever they may be on a page. Regardless of
whether the word is in a title, author name, place of publication or footnote, the page will
be returned as a result.
Date Range (last 5 years): restricts your results to only items published in the past 5
years.
Find more information about subject and keyword searches at:
http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/PORT/locating/keywordvssubject.html
Fill in the information below from the book you found:
Title of Book: __________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________
Call Number: ___________________________________________
Date Range used: _______________________________________
Keyword(s): ___________________________________________
Subject(s): _____________________________________________
Note: This question is to introduce students to using the OPAC as well as searching with the
advanced search feature using keywords, subjects and date ranges. This question teaches students
the differences between subject and keyword searching. Along with that it will introduce
students to recognizing reference books over regular research books.
4. Search the reference book you found in Question 3 for a topic of your choice and conduct
another search in the OPAC for a book using a keyword or subject you found from the
reference book. Add a date range from the last 2 years. This book may be located the San
Jose Public Library or the SJSU King Library
Title of Book: __________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________
Call Number: ___________________________________________
Date Range used: _______________________________________
Keyword(s): ___________________________________________
Subject(s): _____________________________________________
Location: ______________________________________________
If the book is available in the SJSU King library use the call number and locate it in the
stacks.
Note: This question will introduce the use of a reference book to find more subject and keywords
to search for other books. It will also teach students to recognize where a book is located because
the new OPAC also includes the SJPL catalog.
5. Question five will be answered with questions 3 & 4. Please take the books you found in
questions 3 & 4 and check them out at the circulation desk.
If you found a book that is not in the King Library ask the circulation desk how you
would go about getting that book, you do not need to request the book.
The circulation desk is usually found near the main entrance of a library. It provides
lending services and facilities for return of loaned items. Renewal of materials and
payment of fines are also handled at the circulation desk. Circulation staff may provide
basic search and reference services to patrons.
Note: This question will introduce students how to check out and in items in the library, it will
also require them to locate where items are in the library as well as the circulation desk is in the
library so they know for future reference. If they find a book that is not in the SJSU library they
will be able to find out about using Link+ and requesting books outside of the library. Also this
question will allow those working the circulation desk to verify the student’s account
information.
6. Locate 2-3 articles on a topic of your choice in the database Academic Search Premier.
This database is a great database to start your research on as it contains scholarly articles
on a variety of subjects. This collection includes computer sciences, engineering, physics,
chemistry, language & linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and
many more.
You can access this database from the Articles & Database quick link on the library
homepage: library.sjsu.edu
Narrow your search by the following criteria:
Subject: Choose a subject you are interested in.
Example: Presidential History AND United States (Do not use this example)
All Text: This will search the entire text of an article for this term
Date range: (last 5 years)
Publication type: (select one or all: primary source document, book, periodical,
newspaper)
Fill in the information you found below:
Article #1
Title of Article: _________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________
Source: _______________________________________________
TX All Text term: _______________________________________
SU Subject(s): __________________________________________
Date Range used: _______________________________________
Document Type: ________________________________________
Article #2
Title of Article: _________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________
Source: _______________________________________________
TX All Text term: _______________________________________
SU Subject(s): __________________________________________
Date Range used: _______________________________________
Document Type: ________________________________________
Article #3
Title of Article: _________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________
Source: _______________________________________________
TX All Text term: _______________________________________
SU Subject(s): __________________________________________
Date Range used: _______________________________________
Document Type: ________________________________________
Note: This question will help the students understand combining different search terms to
narrow their results. It also introduces them to a great database to start their research.
7. Print the MLA citations for the 2-3 articles you found in Academic Search Premier. You
will use the cite button on the detailed record of the article. Copy and paste the MLA
citation into a word document and print to the student printer nearby.
Please note that the citations are not always correct, when using them for your references
pages make sure you check them and compare them to the MLA style guide.
Note: This will introduce students to the citation link on the articles which will help them
when citing their resources, it also shows them that the citations are not always accurate and
to make sure when using them in assignments to check them.
8. Each academic program has a librarian that will help you throughout your academic
career. Please find and list the name of the librarian for your academic program. Your
program may change throughout your educational career so please list the one for the
program you are currently enrolled or interested in.
Example: Computer Science – Linda Crotty.
These librarians have created LibGuides for these academic programs please browse the
LibGuides on the library website to find your assigned librarian.
Program: _________________________
Assigned Librarian: ____________________
Note: This question is to get students familiar with their program librarian as well as familiarize
them with the types of guides that are available for the academic program.
9. The question requires comparing to databases and search engines. Conduct a search on the
same topic in Academic Search Premier (a fee database) and Google (a free search engine).
Write down the differences between the results you received from the fee database and the
search engine.
Topic:
Database: Academic Search
Premier
Search Engine: Google
What kind of sources you
received
The likely quality of the
sources
Types of questions you
would search
Please answer this question: What do you see as a main difference between a paid database
and a search engine like Google?
Note: The question illustrates the difference between the "free" web and subscription databases
accessible through the web; demonstrates the different kinds of results obtained using different
kinds of sources; recognize that there are certain kinds of questions that aren't best researched on
the web
10. The library offers multiple areas to study, if you are looking for a silent study area, which
floor would you study on? See the Survival Guide for New Students in the SJSU
Library LibGuide
Note: This will introduce the students to the different types of LibGuides there are as well as
provide them with information on areas of the library that is often not common knowledge.