A demonstration of Birkbeck Library’s e-resources

Birkbeck Library

Outline

• Why are electronic resources important?

• An overview of the eLibrary

• What are ejournals and how do you use them?

• Databases: why and how?

• How do you find and access ebooks?

• Access to e-resources from outside College

Why are electronic resources important?

Why are electronic resources important?

• Accessible without coming into the Library• Accessible 24 hours a day• Remote access using your IT services username

and password• Remember: the Library is more than its physical

holdings eg. larger number of electronic journals than print journals

An overview of the eLibrary

An overview of the eLibrary

• Access and read over 35,000 electronic journal and newspaper titles

• Search over 90 research databases to find out what has been published in your subject area

• Look at past exam papers from 2002 onwards

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib

Ejournals

What are ejournals?

• Ejournals are online versions of print journals• ‘Magazines’ with academic content• Usually published monthly or quarterly• Contain current research – usually primary

research• Useful for getting a range of different

opinions about a subject

Understanding a journal reference

Windsor, D. (2006). “Corporate social responsibility: three key approaches”. Journal of Management Studies. 43 (1): 93-114.

Author Date Article title

Journal name

VolumeIssue

Page numbers

Finding a specific article in an ejournal• Make a note of the name of the journal• Go to the Library web site and select eLibrary• Type the name of the journal in the ejournal

search box• If the Library subscribes, a link to the ejournal

will appear• Select the year, volume and then issue that

you require• Ejournals are also listed on the library catalogue

Didn’t find the article?• Make sure you entered the name of the

journal, not the article title• E.g. Novak, S. (2008) “How does outsourcing

affect performance dynamics?” Management Science. 54 (12): 1963-1979.

Didn’t find the article?• Make sure the date of your article falls within

the date range for the link you have selected• E.g. Novak, S. (2008) “How Does Outsourcing

Affect Performance Dynamics?” Management Science. Vol. 54 (12): 1963-1979.

Didn’t find the article?• If you have checked the title and date and still

get a ‘no results message’, Birkbeck Library does not subscribe to the journal you require

• Contact the Help Desk about print journals, using other libraries or interlibrary loans

Databases

What are databases?• Online tools to help you research your topic• Many cover a specific subject, e.g. history• Others are multidisciplinary• Some contain the full text of journals,

magazines and newspapers• Others are index and abstract services but

may link to the full-text if the Library has a subscription to the journal

Why use databases?

• If you don’t have a reading list or want to read further, you won’t necessarily know which ejournals to use

• You can type in a keyword or keywords to see what has been published in your subject area

• Helps you to identify relevant readings

What is wrong with just using Google?

• Anyone can publish information on the web• No editorial control or third party reviews• Is the information an appropriate level for

academic study?• How can you tell if the information is

accurate?• How do you cope with the amount of results?

Which database is best for my subject?• Go to the Subject Guides at

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/subguides to see lists of resources that are best for your subject

• There is a guide for all of the main subjects taught at Birkbeck

• You can access the databases from these pages or from an A-Z list at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib/databases

Which database is best for my subject?Which database is best for my subject?

Search tips…

• All databases have different interfaces but the same search principles apply

• Don’t just type in a string of words or an entire essay title

• Think about your search terms carefully before you start searching

• What is the key information that you are looking for?

Search tips…• Consider alternative terms for the same concept• Use truncation for variant spellings

E.g. stress* will find stress, stresses, stressors, stressed, stressful

• Search for exact phrases using quotation marks

• Combine words / terms using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to focus results

Search tips: Boolean operators

AND

If term A is ‘art’ and term B is ‘Renaissance’, this search is more likely to find articles

about ‘Renaissance art’

Search tips: Boolean operators

OR

If term A is ‘human resource management’ and term B is ‘personnel management’,

this search will find articles that contain either term

Search tips: Boolean operators

NOT

If term A is ‘java’ and term B is ‘Indonesia’, this search will exclude articles

about ‘Indonesia’

Ebooks

How do you find an ebook?

• A growing number of ebooks are available• Find them via the Library catalogue• You can also search whole databases of ebooks

at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib/ebooks• We won’t usually have access to all the ebooks

in a database• You can usually print from ebooks but most

restrict the number of pages

Exam papers

Exam papers

Exam papers

• Exam papers are grouped by broad subject e.g. biological sciences

• If your subject is not listed, check the heading for your department

• Remember that some modules run alternate years so there won’t be an exam paper every year

Access from outside College

Accessing e-resources

You need an IT Services username/password • To log on to computers inside College• To access e-resources inside and outside College• You will be sent your ITS login when you enrol• ITS Help Desk, ground floor, Malet Street:

- Tel: 020 7631 6543- Email: its-helpdesk@bbk.ac.uk

Access e-resources from outside College

• Register your computer by setting up a cookie• Necessary for access to some e-resources• One-off process• Lasts 18 months• Login in with your ITS username and

password

See http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/elib

Setting up a cookie

Don’t forget print resources

Don’t forget about print resources!

• Books will still be an important part of your study, especially in arts and humanities

• Most book content is not available electronically• Most ebooks restrict the number of pages you

can download and / or print• Use the Library catalogue to find information

about books. Access via www.bbk.ac.uk/lib

Further help

Further help

• Library web site: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib• LIFE – online Library induction tutorial• Visit, ring or email the Help desk:• library-help@bbk.ac.uk• 020 7631 6063• Check your Subject Guide (online and in print)• Your Subject Librarian