FIRST SEARCH
Research Databases
WorldCat and ERIC
Use WorldCat To Find Books In DHS Library
In Other Area Libraries… Such as
Sauk Valley Community College
Dixon Public Library
Use ERIC for FULL TEXT of articles
Power Point created for Dixon High School
by Lucy Chamberlain on May 7, 2013
Avoid Frustration …
• Use Library Codes to search in local libraries
Dixon High School… LG6
Dixon Public Library…JY3
Sauk Valley College…IVG
Sterling Public Library…LB8
• Learn some powerful searching techniques
• Use the best Database for your purpose…
• When searching ERIC documents use CTRL + F
Frustration Factors …
• You do a search to find the perfect source - but the item is
located in a distant library and you can’t borrow it in time for
your project.
SOLUTION: Use Library Codes for Local Libraries
• You find something interesting periodical title in a FIRST
SEARCH database like ARTICLE FIRST and then realize you can
only get a summary of the article, and not FULL TEXT.
SOLUTION: Use ERIC in FIRST SEARCH, SIRS, or
OmniFile FULL TEXT SELECT for “FULL TEXT”
FIRST SEARCH: Opening Screen
Go to “Jump to Advanced Search” and Select
“WorldCat” as your Database.
FIRST SEARCH: Advanced Search
phase in quotation marks, NOT (as a filter)
LIBRARY CODES for local libraries
“cell phones in school”
NOT Fiction
LIBRARY CODES:
JY3 - Dixon Public
IVG - Sauk Valley College
LG6 -DHS
IL Catalog -- 5 or more
libraries
DATE RANGE: 2009-2013
FIRST SEARCH: Advanced Search
Note that you can also check box to “Limit availability to
items in my library”
Note that your library
code LG6 is given on
the form.
Boolean FILTERS:
AND
OR
NOT
You can also limit you
search by format – or
leave it open to search all
formats.
FIRST SEARCH: Book Found:
Click “Cite This Item” for Citation.
Click “Libraries that own item… to see which local
libraries have the book.
FIRST SEARCH: Book Found at Sauk
Valley College (Code IVG)
You can get a free library card for Sauk Valley
College Library and check out this book, or you can
ask the DHS Library staff to get you this book.
FIRST SEARCH: Searching a string of
CODES for Local Library Codes…
If you had a long string of codes to search through you
could put codes in alphabetical order by double clicking
on “CODE”.
FIRST SEARCH: Book Found at Sauk
Valley College (Code IVG)
Now click on “Sauk Valley Community Col” to see
if the book is available, to get the call # and to get
an RSS Feed, if you want that.
FIRST SEARCH: Details of Sauk Valley College
Record: Availability, Call #, RSS Feed
FIRST SEARCH: When searching put
checks by titles that interest you. You
can then go back to refer to those items
at any time of your work session and
you can email this list to yourself.
Let’s say I want this book and I have time for the DHS Library staff to borrow it
from another library for me. In that case, I do not have to limit my search to
local libraries. But often, time is short, and it is helpful to know that the book
is in local libraries - particularly as the end of the school year approaches.
So, I clicked on “Libraries with Item” and then
clicked on “Sauk Valley Community Col” and
found that it is available, and here is the call #…
Now I want to end my research session by sending my
results – my 5 “Marked Records” to myself with an email
note. Experiment with brief records and detailed records.
Probably brief records would have been fine if I just wanted
a list to take with me to Sauk Valley College.
FIRST SEARCH - WorldCat will give you
Citations in various styles.
Use MLA (7th ed.) for DHS projects.
Say you found a book listed for DHS Library. Now you
need to see if the book is available. Go to “DHS Library”
from the Dixon Public Schools website. Follow this path:
STUDENTS -> DPS Library -> DHS Library
Here is a visual of the current
“DHS Library” online catalog screen.
ERIC Database
From FIRST SEARCH selected ERIC as your database.
Check for Limit to “FULL TEXT”
This 38 page report about teaching Japanese students speaking skills might
have something worth looking at, because I can tell by the abstract that the
teachers used cell phones as an instructional tool. But I don’t have time to
read all 38 pages now. What should I do? Click on Full Text and use CTRL +f.
CTRL + f pops up a search box. I enter “cell phones” and use
arrow keys to search the document quickly for those key words.
After a few clicks I find what want on page 21. There is actually a
sample lesson using cell phones. I can email this to myself now.
Avoid Frustration …
• Use Library Codes to search in local libraries
Dixon High School - LG6
Dixon Public Library - JY3
Sauk Valley College - IVG
Sterling Public Library - LB8
• Learn some powerful searching techniques
• Use the best Database for your purpose…
• When searching ERIC documents use CTRL + F
• Ask your DHS Librarian for help anytime…