登录查看更多内容

What are some strategies for finding and accessing hard-to-find resources in library research?

由人工智能和领英社区提供技术支持

Library research can be challenging, especially when you need to find and access resources that are rare, out of print, or not available online. However, there are some strategies that can help you overcome these obstacles and locate the information you need for your projects. In this article, we will discuss some of these strategies, such as using bibliographies, interlibrary loans, archives, and specialized databases.

此文章中的业界达人

由社区从 4 条内容中精选。了解更多

Meredith Eliassen

Associate Librarian, Lecturer/Special Collections Librarian at San Francisco State University

1 Use bibliographies

One of the easiest ways to find hard-to-find resources is to use the bibliographies of other works that are related to your topic. Bibliographies are lists of sources that authors have used or cited in their research, and they can provide you with valuable clues and leads to follow. You can check the bibliographies of books, articles, dissertations, and other publications that you have already found or that are recommended by your librarian or instructor. You can also use online tools, such as Google Scholar, to find related works and their bibliographies.

添加您的观点

Sadia Yaseen

MBBS, MHPE, Founder MedicalEducation.ORG, AI and Tech savvy Medical Educationist, M Phil Histopathology, Certified Qualitative and Quantitative Research Consultant, ACAP, Former Director DME RLMC
(已编辑)
举报内容
In my opinion bibliography insanely helps finding the research gap and niches to be researched. Whenever I need to explore new ideas for research, I search through bibioliographies at the end of the chapter of relevant topic.

已翻译

赞
Meredith Eliassen

Associate Librarian, Lecturer/Special Collections Librarian at San Francisco State University
举报内容
Bibliographies (and footnotes) are an incredibly powerful resource. A bibliographer reflects the contemporary values of their time so a bibliography from the 1930s will contain certain biases and exclusion that is unacceptable today. This does not mean it is not valuable because a historian today can research primarily sources with the values of today and develop new conclusions.

已翻译

赞

2 Use interlibrary loans

Another strategy to find and access hard-to-find resources is to use interlibrary loans. Interlibrary loans are services that allow you to borrow or request materials from other libraries that your own library does not have or cannot access. You can use interlibrary loans to obtain books, articles, dissertations, microfilms, and other formats of resources that are relevant to your research. You can usually request interlibrary loans through your library's website or catalog, or by contacting your librarian. However, keep in mind that interlibrary loans may take some time and may involve some fees or restrictions.

添加您的观点

Meredith Eliassen

Associate Librarian, Lecturer/Special Collections Librarian at San Francisco State University
举报内容
Inter-library loan is another powerful tool for accessing material. However, speaking from experience, it is limited for truly hard-to-find material when it might be too fragile or rare to loan. As a special collections librarian I know inter library loan staff do their best to find material and then someone like me says no, it is library use only. If you get a no copy available message go to WorldCat and see if there is a copy and contact the institution directly to see if you can visit or get a scan within reason.

已翻译

赞

3 Use archives

A third strategy to find and access hard-to-find resources is to use archives. Archives are collections of historical or original documents, records, artifacts, and other materials that are preserved and organized by institutions, such as libraries, museums, universities, governments, or organizations. Archives can offer you unique and valuable sources of information that are not available elsewhere, such as letters, diaries, photographs, maps, manuscripts, and newspapers. You can search for archives that are relevant to your topic online, or by visiting or contacting the institutions that hold them. However, keep in mind that archives may have different rules and procedures for accessing and using their materials, and that you may need to make an appointment or obtain a permission to visit them.

添加您的观点

Meredith Eliassen

Associate Librarian, Lecturer/Special Collections Librarian at San Francisco State University
举报内容
Archivists are super-wow cool resources for researcher in every field were there is historic material collected because they understand the organization structure of information. You can discover archives through regional archival organization directories online or by doing a basic online search for your topic. Sites like the Online Archives of California house finding aids for specific collections. Sometimes you will find a digital object that leads you to an archive: know that this object is the tip of the iceberg. Most archives do not have resources to digitize comprehensively, so contact the archivist to investigate further considering the information provided above.

已翻译

赞

4 Use specialized databases

A fourth strategy to find and access hard-to-find resources is to use specialized databases. Specialized databases are online platforms that provide access to specific types of resources that are not covered by general or multidisciplinary databases, such as PubMed, JSTOR, or EBSCOhost. Specialized databases can focus on a particular subject, discipline, region, time period, format, or language, and they can offer you more comprehensive and relevant results for your research. You can find specialized databases by browsing your library's website or catalog, or by asking your librarian or instructor for recommendations.

添加您的观点

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

添加您的观点

Library Services

+ 关注

给文章评分

我们借助人工智能创建了此文章。您认为这篇文章怎么样？

很棒不太好

举报此文章

查看全部

What are some strategies for finding and accessing hard-to-find resources in library research?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Use bibliographies

2 Use interlibrary loans

3 Use archives

4 Use specialized databases

5 Here’s what else to consider

Library Services

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

更多Library Services相关文章

更多相关阅读内容

What are some strategies for finding and accessing hard-to-find resources in library research?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Use bibliographies

2 Use interlibrary loans

3 Use archives

4 Use specialized databases

5 Here’s what else to consider

Library Services

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

查看其他技能