Introduction to the Cornell University Library
The Cascadilla School
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/Cascadilla.html
Developing a Search Strategy
A search strategy is the process of finding information in a logical, step-by-step manner. Using a search strategy insures that you will find the information and materials you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Research Steps:
- Choose your topic
- Find background information
- Find books on your topic
- Find periodical articles
- Find networked resources or relevant Web sites
- Evaluate your sources
- Cite your sources
For more information about library research strategy and using library resources, consult:
The Seven Steps of the Research Process
Click on the image below to connect to the Cornell Library Gateway: www.library.cornell.edu
Cornell Study Guides
American Literature : A Guide to Reference Sources
English Literature : A Guide to Reference Sources
Finding Books
Finding the News
Book Reviews:A Finding Guide
Other Subject Research Guides in the Humanities
Finding Books
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Click on the image to connect to the Cornell Library online catalog:
- About
the CU Library Catalog
The Cornell University Library Catalog includes the holdings of 19 Cornell University libraries. The catalog contains records for books, computer files, government documents, manuscripts and archives, maps, musical scores, periodicals, serials, sound recordings, and visual materials. - CU Library Catalog Help Pages
- Finding Books on the shelves in Olin & Uris Libraries
Specialized Print Encyclopedias
Uris Ref PR l9 C17+ Olin Ref PR l9 C17+
Not to be confused with the Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. A single volume guide to the literature of the English-speaking world. Covering more than a thousand years, it includes the literature of Great Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It also includes the English writing from Ireland and South Africa and contributions from the West Indies and Nigeria since World War II. Entries are for authors, individual works of litera ture, main characters in novels and plays, relevant historical events and technical literary terms. Illustrated
Olin Library Reference E 174.D52x 2003
Cross-listed, illustrated entries aimed at college students. Volume 10 includes a six-page guide that provides tips on historical research. The dictionary does not contain biographical entries.
Encyclopedia of American Cultural & Intellectual History. 3 vols. New York: Scribner’s, 2001.
Uris Library Reference E 169.1 E624x 2001
A 3-volume encyclopedia that attempts “to comprehend the ever-changing character and rich variety of American thought and expression.” (Introduction) Includes articles on advertising, media, visual arts, and technology.
Olin Ref + JF 501 E53x 1994; also Uris Ref
This extensive set of articles about the state and national legislatures in the United States provides historical background and contemporary analysis of their behavior, members, processes, and structures. Extensive coverage of the relationship between legislatures and public policy, the executive, the courts, and the media is also provided. Each article includes an annotated biliography.
Encyclopedia of Democratic Thought. Edited by Paul Barry Clarke and Joe Foweraker. London and New York: Routledge, 2001.
Olin Library Reference JC423 .E54x 2001 +
Covers key concepts and issues in democracy. Articles, written by subject experts, range from 1-6 pages and include lists of further readings. Includes scholarly essays on Direct Action, Participation, Social Movements, etc.
Encyclopedia of American Social Movements. Edited by Immanuel Ness. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 2004. 4 v.
Olin Library Reference HN57 .E594 2004 +
Excellent overviews provided for a wide range of American social movements. Each article includes a bibliography of additional sources.
A Historical Guide to the U.S. Government. Kunan, George Thomas, ed. 1998.
Olin Ref + JK 9 H57x 1998
More encyclopedia than guide, this work gives excellent background for those doing more historical research of the US government.
Finding Resources Online:
Two approaches to finding resources online:
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1. Search a Specific Database
Recommended Databases:
Literary
MLA International Bibliography [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
An international database providing references to scholarly articles from over 4000 journals dealing with languages, literature, folklore and linguistics. It is useful for finding literary criticism of a particular author or work, as well as articles on literary theory, women’s studies, popular culture, and performing arts.
Literature Online (LION): [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
The home of English and American literature on the Web.
Literature Resource Center [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
A complete literature reference database designed for the undergraduate student. LRC combines biographical, bibliographical, and contextual information to deliver a complete reference/resource package on authors and their works (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, history, and journalism). Centering on respected Gale sources, including Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography, and Contemporary Literary Criticism, this data set is augmented with full-text, excerpted, and commissioned critical material. LRC [also] offers the Encyclopedia of Literature, The Scribner Writer Series, and American National Biography.
Oxford English Dictionary [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Second edition also available in print: Olin or Uris Reference PE1625 M98 1989
The OED presents in alphabetical series the words that have formed the English vocabulary from the time of the earliest records down to the present day, with all the relevant facts concerning their form, sense-history, pronunciation, and etymology. It embraces not only the standard language of literature and conversation, but also the main technical vocabulary, and a large measure of dialectical usage and slang. This edition contains the complete A to Z sequence of the Second Edition, its three-volume Additions Series, and also draft material from the revision programme, which represents the latest progress towards the Third Edition.
Academic Search Premier [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
EBSCO Academic Search Premier provides full text for nearly 4,650 academic multi-disciplinary serials, including full text for more than 3,600 peer-reviewed titles. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles. This database is updated on a daily basis.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) indexes current, readily-available reference sources, as well as the most important retrospective works that cover individuals, both living and deceased, from every field of activity and from all areas of the world.
Book Review Digest [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Covers 1983 to date; see print version for earlier coverage. Reviews of English language adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction titles. Book reviews are selected from journals in the humanities, sciences, social sciences and library review media.
CQ Researcher [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
(online from 1991; in paper from 1930 in URIS Library, main Level, H35 E23)
CQ Researcher provides articles on current and controversial world issues. “Every 12,000-word report is written by an experienced journalist and features comments from experts, lawmakers and citizens on all sides of every issue. Numerous charts, graphs and sidebar articles — plus a pro-con feature, a chronology, lengthy bibliographies and a list of contacts — round out each report.”
Lexis Nexis Academic [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Lexis Nexis Academic provides access to full text resources on topics including current and general news; business and financial information; newspapers; company directories; government and politics; medical and health topics; accounting, auditing, and tax; federal and state laws; legal cases; and regulations. Resources include TV and radio news transcripts.
Periodicals Index Online [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Covers 1770-1993. Searches can be restricted to book reviews only. Click the box under “Scope” on the search page. Provides comprehensive indexing to the contents of 4,250 periodicals in the humanities and social sciences, from their first issues (some as far back as the 18th and 19th centuries) to 1993. The scope is international, including journals in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and other Western languages.
Proquest Historical Newspapers [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Full-text and full-image articles from the New York Times (1851-2003), the Wall Street Journal (1889-1989), the Washington Post (1877-1990), every page from every issue in PDF files. The database is an ongoing project.
ProQuest Research Library [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Includes an extensive number of periodicals, covering general interest magazines and
scholarly journals in the social sciences, humanities and sciences. Also included
are citations and abstracts to selected television and radio programs. Full
text of many articles is provided.
Reference Universe [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Searches the back-of the-book indexes of thousands of reference titles to help researchers select useful reference encyclopedias.
Search tip: Click the checkbox to “Restrict Search to Titles in your Library.” When you see a title of interest, click on the open book icon to connect to the Cornell Library catalog & find the call number and location of the item.
2. Search a number of databases at the same time using Find it!
The Find it! feature on the Library Gateway allows you to perform a simple search across multiple databases. For more precise searching, it is best to search the databases individually. See the Recommended Databases above.
Using Find it!, you can do a simple search in 4 general resources or you can select a list of subject-specific databases to search.
Finding Images/Archival Resources
Many databases are available for finding images located in the Images category of Find it!.
Image Search Options:
Use the Quick search form to search for images by keyword or words. A Quick search retrieves images from the following databases: AccuNet/AP Multimedia Archive, American Memory (Library of Congress web site), Artstor, Catalog of Art Museum Images Online (CAMIO), and NYPL digital (New York Public Library Digital Gallery).
Use the Images Subject Area list to identify and search additional image databases.
Look for the 
icon in other Subject areas for subject specific image resources.
Other Visual Resources: Wikipedia: TASI: Finding Images Online |
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King of Swords, from the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards. Milan, ca. 1450. Source: From Old Books : Scanned Images Engravings and Pictures from Old Books, via Wikipedia Public Domain Images. |
Recommended Image Sources:
AccuNet/AP Multimedia Archive is an electronic library containing the AP’s current photos from their 50 million image print and negative library, as well as charts, graphs, tables, and maps from the AP’s graphics portfolio.
ARTstor [Restricted to Cornell campus use]
Searchable database of digital images and associated catalog data. Covers the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and design, as well as many other forms of visual culture.
New York Public Library Digital Gallery
Gateway to New York Public Library’s rare and unique collections in digitized form
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Citing Sources
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MLA
citation style Olin and Uris Libraries Z253 .M68 2003 (located at the Reference Desks) MLA
citation style (CUL Gateway Help pages) |
Photocopying & Printing at the Cornell University Library
How to Buy a VendaCard:
In Olin Library, there are two VendaCard dispenser/encoders — one in room 402 (take the elevator to the 4th floor and turn left) and one on the Lower Level (go down the stairs near the Libe Café, and turn right).
In Uris Library, there is a VendaCard dispenser/encoder in the Dean Room (beyond the Circulation Desk, around the corner to the right of the photocopiers).
Note: The cost of a card is 55 cents. To purchase a card, insert in the VendaCard dispenser/encoder and receive a card with 45 cents credit on the card. Re-insert the card to add more money. Because VendaCards are easy to leave behind, it's a good idea to sign the back of the card
Public Photocopiers in Olin, Kroch & Uris Libraries
Olin & Kroch Libraries:
Public photocopiers are available in several locations within Olin and Kroch libraries. Photocopiers will accept coins (15 cents per page), or a vendacard (10 cents per page)
- Two public photocopiers are available on the Lower Level, in the stairwell leading from the Libe Cafe to the Newspaper and Microform stacks.
- A third photocopier is located down the hall, along with a vendacard dispenser/encoder.
- Room 402 is equipped with several photocopiers and a vendacard dispenser/encoder. Take the elevator to the 4th floor and turn left.
- Kroch library has a photocopier on both stack levels. Enter the stack level and turn right.
Uris Library
- Public Photocopiers are located on the Main Level of Uris Library (the Dean Room, main level) beyond the circulation desk. The Dean Room is on the main level, one flight up from the entrance to Uris Library.
Printing Out Items from the Library Catalog and Library Databases
A networked VendaCard Printing Workstation is available for visiting researchers and others lacking a Cornell Netprint account. To use the VendaCard-operated printer, follow these steps:
- Purchase a VendaCard
- Under File, choose Print. A print "window" will pop up. In the print window, use the pull-down menu to choose VendaCard Printing Station (at the bottom, or end, of the list).
- Note the number on the base of your computer monitor. This number will identify your print job. Note: On the Library Research, Only workstations* wait for the Press Here...Go to Print Station button to appear.
- * The light green label across the top of the monitor identifies the Library Research, Only workstations.
In Olin, the VendaCard Printing workstation is located against the wood-paneled wall, at the far end of the Reference/Information and Public Computer area. In Uris it is located in the North Alcove of the Dean Room.
- At the VendaCard Printing Station, select the print job that matches the number printed on the base of your computer monitor.
- Insert the vendacard to print.
- Click on the PRINT button to start printing.
Getting Help
Research and Reference Help
Reference Desk Schedules in Olin and Uris Libraries
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October 9 , 2007
Susette Newberry
URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/Cascadilla.html
Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University, Ithaca
NY 14853
PSA: Public Services and Assessment
Information and reference: 607-255-4144, okuref@cornell.edu
Circulation: (Olin) 607-255-4245, (Uris) 607-255-3537, olincirc@cornell.edu