Super Quick Guide to Your Ivy Tech Library
To access Library resources, log in to Campus Connect
and select the Library tab.
Or, log in to Blackboard
and select the Library tab.
The Ivy Tech Library Homepage
Library resources will be
found under Search & Find.
Search & Find
At the Search & Find page, use the
appropriate link for the type of resource you
need. For example, if you need articles from
a database like ProQuest, click on Articles.
If you need books or e-books from IvyCat,
click on Books, etc.
If you need career resources from Ferguson’s
Career Guidance Center, click on Reference
and then select Facts on File.
Search & Find -- Articles
ProQuest is a good resource for articles. The search screen looks like this:
ProQuest has complete full-text articles from magazines, scholarly journals,
newspapers, and much more!
Search & Find -- Articles
If you find an article you’d like to use, you’ll need to gather certain details about
the article (author, title, etc.) to create a citation. Those details will be at the top
of the article.
Title of article
For example, here is an article titled, “RFID’s Security Problem.” It was
written by Erica Naone and published in a magazine called Technology Review.
It was published Jan/Feb 2009 and appeared on pages 72 through 74.
Search & Find -- Books
You can use IvyCat to search all 23 Ivy Tech Libraries at once!
Use your IvyTech ID to check out materials from the Library, or find e-books
that you can read on your computer.
Search & Find -- Books
An item record in IvyCat looks like this:
Specially marked fields
will indicate the Title,
Author, etc.
The copyright date
is found on the line
with the publisher.
This book was
published in 2009.
This book is located at
the Indianapolis Lawrence
campus. The call number
tells you exactly where
this item is located on
the shelf.
Search & Find -- Reference
Reference sources will include general dictionaries and encyclopedias
(like Britannica) as well as “subject specific” reference sources like
Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center from Facts on File.
Using this
resource, you can
research jobs and
careers, get help
with resumes and
cover letters, take
a career interest
assessment, and
much more!
Surfing the Web
Subscription Databases vs. The Free Web
Resources like ProQuest and Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center are
“Subscription Databases.” The Library purchases access to these
resources – they are NOT available for FREE on the Web.
Subscription Databases contain typical library resources like books, magazines,
scholarly journals, and newspapers published by reputable publishers. Access to
these Subscription Databases is provided to all Ivy Tech students, faculty, & staff.
And since these resources are online, they are available to you anytime day or
night – even when the library is closed!
Surfing the Web
Subscription Databases vs. The Free Web
Items on the “Free Web” can be found by anyone using a search engine
like Google.
Remember, anyone can publish
on the Free Web, too! So, the sites
you find may or may not be reputable,
reliable sources.
You will need to carefully evaluate any
information from the Free Web
before using it in an academic paper.
Searching for information on the Free Web is like sticking your hand into a
"grab bag" of information – some of what you get will be junk and at other times
you will discover just the information you need from a reliable source.
Surfing the Web
If you use a Website, be sure to record the title and the url of the page.
The title is at the very top of the browser window.
The title of this Webpage is IN.gov:Home.
Title of page
The url, or the Uniform Resource Locator, is the page’s address on the Web.
The url of this page is http://www.in.gov/.
Super Quick Guide to Your Ivy Tech Library
As you explore your library, you'll get familiar with the types of
resources available, and you'll learn to use those resources to
conduct research and find the information you need.
This will put you on the path to becoming a successful student!