PREP Students: Where in the
Library do you find...?
 Virtually Tour the Library through the library home page
Third Floor
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Circulating Book Collection - nearly 200,000 volumes
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Notebook Computer Carrels
Learning Assistance Center (LAC) - tutoring services, Writing Center, the Multimedia
Instructional Center (MIC - for designated classes and workshops): (210) 436-3203
Special Collections - rare books and manuscripts about Texas, Spanish borderlands,
mathematics: (210) 431-2126; hours: by appointment
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Public Restrooms
Computer Lab - PCs with Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Internet access (e-mail, World
Wide Web), other software: requires login to print or access the Internet
ext. 1611; administered by User Support Services: Help Desk: ext. 4357
Second (Main) Floor
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Entrance; Photocopiers (photocopy cards available for sale at Circulation counter)
Flatbed Scanners
Electronic Information - library catalog, full-text magazine, newspaper, and
journal articles; eBooks, other databases; World Wide Web access –
http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/
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Card Value Center machine - purchase card for computer printing, $0.05/page, minimum
$1.00 card purchase
Circulation - videos, CDs; Reserve materials for class; get change or copy cards for
photocopiers; pick up computer print out from Reference area computers
(210) 436-3430; Summer library hours: M- Th 8AM - 9PM; F 8AM - 4PM;
Sun 1PM - 9PM
Reference Librarians - consult us for assistance in locating the information you need
(210) 436-3508; Summer hours: M - Th 8AM - 7PM; F 8AM - 4PM; Sun 1PM - 5PM;
Ask a Question at our library web site
Reference Works - lots of them! Handbooks, specialized encyclopedias, directories,
biographical information, etc.
Government Publications - US and Texas documents
Atlases and Maps; Periodical Indexes - print and electronic; Masters Theses - written by St.
Mary's graduate students
Microfiche - US and ERIC Documents
Art Exhibit - changing displays by local artists
Marianist Collection - books and journals pertaining to the Society of Mary
New Books area
(continued)
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PREP Students: Where in the Louis J. Blume Library… (continued)
First (Basement) Floor
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Periodicals - over 17,000 magazine, journal, & newspaper titles available electronically
through our subscription databases, and in paper, microfilm, and microfiche! Other interesting
microfilm and microfiche collections, too - Laredo Archives, various
monographs (books) and other historical series
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Public Restrooms
Leisure Periodicals - weekly and monthly popular interest magazines; current newspapers
Copier - reader/printer for microfilm and microfiche
Small Group Study Rooms; Video Viewing Rooms
Media Viewing Room
Juvenile Literature, Curriculum Collection
Academic Imaging & Media Center (AIMC) – contains digital media lab, photo studio,
darkroom, video studio, wireless network capabilities, lamination machine and public typewriter
Contact (210) 436-3503 Summer hours: M – F 8AM – 4PM
Other Resources
 Topic-specific guides to the resources - available at the library web site listed under Research
Guides & behind the Reference Desk
Important Database information:
 Louis J. Blume (Academic) Library web site: accessible directly at
http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/
or through the St. Mary's University Web site: http://www.stmarytx.edu/
 On campus, click on Databases Listed Alphabetically for a comprehensive list and to access
periodical and full-text databases to which the Blume Library subscribes, e.g., Academic Search
Complete, Business Source Complete, MasterFILE Premier, Newspaper Source, LEXIS-NEXIS
Academic Universe, WorldCat, etc.
Consult a Reference Librarian to learn more about the above resources and services, as well as the
following:
 Effective search strategies and techniques
 Remote electronic access to the library catalog and other free databases
 Instruction in using library resources: course-integrated, and individual instruction
 Assistance in locating the information you're seeking
Many of the subscription databases available through the Blume Library are
accessible to you through the San Antonio Public Library web site
(http://www.sanantonio.gov/library/). They are accessible from your home if you
have a San Antonio Public Library card. A library card is free to anyone residing
within Bexar County. To obtain a card, simply go to any public library location and
bring identification (driver’s license or photo ID) and proof of residency.
Don't hesitate to ask a librarian for assistance. We're here to help you!
06/2007 dmd, St. Mary's University, Louis J. Blume Library
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Exploring the Louis J. Blume Library
Reference: (210) 436-3508; Circulation: (210) 436-3430
Our library provides a place for exploration and intellectual adventure. Successful students and professionals
learn to master the process of finding and evaluating information. The resources within our library can help
you develop and refine those skills.
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Talk to the librarians. Don’t be afraid. Ask questions. That’s why we’re here.
Don’t wait until the last minute to do your research. The resources you need might not be available if
you procrastinate, or you might find you would have preferred a different topic and it’s too late to
change your topic.
Come prepared. Bring a copy of your assignment. Ask your professor if you aren’t clear what you’re
being asked to do. Bring small bills or change for printing or copying.
Pay attention to which databases you are searching and how you are searching, e.g., which
keywords, which fields you’re searching, etc. These details will be helpful if you need to find
additional information, or find a particular source again. When you talk to the librarians, it’s helpful
if you can tell them which resources you searched and how you searched.
Information Seeking Process
o Consider what type of information you need and where you might find it.
o Break your topic into key concepts and identify terms for each concept. Start with
fewer words.
o Use Boolean connectors like and, or, and not to connect keywords. Many databases
search the words as a phrase otherwise.
o Truncation characters such as an * (asterisk) can expand your search by retrieving
various forms of a word, e.g., comput* retrieves computer, computers, computing,
computation, etc.
o Think about which individuals or groups of people or organizations are associated
with your topic. These might be additional terms to search.
The following resources are available through the library web site at
http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/
Type of Information
Type of Resource
Tools to Find
Information
Examples of Tools
Background, in-depth
Technical information
from government
publications
Current, specific
Books
Government
publications
Library catalog
Library catalog
library online catalog
library online catalog
Magazine articles
Subscription databases
Scholarly research
Scholarly journal
articles
Subscription databases
Very current
Newspapers,
transcripts, web sites
Subscription databases:
Academic Search
Complete, Business
Source Complete,
MasterFILE Premier
Academic Search
Complete, Business
Source Complete
LexisNexis Academic,
Newspaper Source
Search engines, web
directories
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Google, Librarians’ Index
to the Internet
Brief background information can be found in printed reference sources on the Main (2nd) Floor
of the library. Just ask a librarian for assistance!
PREP Students:
If You Need to …
You Go To…
Access the library catalog or databases
Library web site at
http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/
or contact a Reference Librarian at 436-3508
Main (2nd) Floor;
Contact your teacher or P.A.
Buy a computer printing guest card or add
money to the guest card to make computer
printouts
Check your email
Find a book or document that doesn’t appear to
be on the shelf
Find magazine or journal articles about my
topic
Find information
Fix or report a computer-related problem
Get change, dollar bills, or purchase a
photocopy card
Make photocopies
Physically find something in the library
Print a paper
Print from the web or a database (while in the
library)
Report missing pages from library materials
See if the library has a specific magazine or
journal
Write a paper
Note: It’s helpful to save your document as a
Rich Text Format (rtf) file so that you can open
your file on other computers
Computer Lab, 3rd Floor (network login required) or
Reference area computer network, Main (2nd) Floor (for
short sessions)
Reference/Information Desk, Main (2nd) Floor or
Circulation Counter, Main (2nd) Floor
Subscription databases available through the library
web site. Contact a Reference Librarian (436-3508) if
unsure where to begin
Reference/Information Desk, Main (2nd) Floor
Contact Reference Librarian, Main (2nd) Floor
Circulation Counter, Main (2nd) Floor
Photocopiers on Main (2nd) Floor near exit
Reference/Information Desk, Main (2nd) Floor or
Circulation Counter, Main (2nd) Floor
Computer Lab, 3rd Floor (network login required) or
Reference area computer network, Main (2nd) Floor;
Contact your teacher or P.A.
Computer Lab, 3rd Floor (network login required) or
Reference area computer network, Main (2nd) Floor;
Contact your P.A.
Library staff members, particularly at Circulation
Counter or Reference Desk, Main (2nd) Floor
The “Locating Journals” link on the library web site
and type the journal or magazine name; contact a
Reference Librarian if unsure
Computer Lab, 3rd Floor
Many of the subscription databases available through the Blume Library are
accessible to you through the San Antonio Public Library web site
(http://www.sanantonio.gov/library/). They are accessible from your home if you
have a San Antonio Public Library card. A library card is free to anyone residing
within Bexar County. To obtain a card, simply go to any public library location and
bring identification (driver’s license or photo ID) and proof of residency.
(dmd 06/2007)
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