How do I find a book in the library?
On the library Web pages in the green bar toward the
top of the page you may start searching the library
catalog via the “keyword search”. This
will take you to SDLN as the search database.
You may search the catalog in several different ways:
With each of these searches you will be given search
results. If there is only one record under your search
that record immediately comes to the screen. If there
are more than one it will indicate the total number
of records found. Click on “go”. Choose
to look at the titles of interest to you by clicking
on the number that appears in blue print on the left
side of list. The complete record for the chosen item
comes to the screen providing information on where
the item is located. In our library “Location”
can be as follows:
Locations on the main floor:
- Main Book Collection (LC Classifications A - HE)
- Reference Collection (LC Classification A - Z)
- Curriculum Collection (Textbook Classification
A - Y)
- Media (LC Classification A – Z)
- Reserves at Circulation Desk
- Newspaper Microfilms by title in Microfilm cabinets
- Atlases & Maps shelved adjacent to Reference shelves
- Current issue of popular periodicals
- Current newspapers
Locations on upper floor
- Main Book Collection (LC Classification HF - Z)
- Oversize Book Collection (LC Classification A - Z)
- Case Western Historical Studies access via Special Collections Office
- Archives access via Special Collections Office
- U.S. Government Documents (SUDOC Classification A - Y)
- U.S. Documents MICROFICHE (SUDOC classification A - Y)
- SD State Documents (SD DOC Classification A – W)
- Periodicals
When you have found the item, if it circulates from
the library take it to the “Circulation”
desk for checkout. The photo Buzz card is the library
card for faculty, staff and students. You must have
the card with you to do checkout. Local users may
fill out an application for a card.
Be sure to watch for “Availability” status.
If it indicates “Unavailable” click on
“Location Details” to see when the item
is due to return. If that date falls within a timeframe
suitable to you needs you may choose to place a “Hold”
on the item record in order that you would be the
next person to have access for check-out.
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How do I find an article in a
popular periodical?
If you are looking for a popular periodical, one for
general public use, you will find those indexed in
our basic periodical databases in ProQuest and InfoTrac.
When ProQuest is selected from the Online
Database page it will open to a file called “All
Collections”. Enter the topic terms that cover
the information that you are pursuing. If the terms
are to be found side-by-side i.e. “acid rain”,
you should enter them in that way. If the terms are
not normally found side-by-side you should use the
“and” connector in the search i.e.”
television and violence”. After entering terms
press “enter” or click on “search”.
The resulting list that appears on the screen will
have popular periodicals, newspapers and some scholarly
journals. To view a particular record click on the
title of the article that appears in blue. This will
open the record on the screen. This record may be
just a citation; citation plus abstracts; or citation
plus abstract plus text of the article.
If you find that you would like to have a copy of
the article, check to see if there is an image version
for printing. Image is a copy that looks as it did
in the original publication. You may do that by going
back to the results list and if image is available
a camera looking icon appears to the immediate left
of the title. Click on that icon and a pdf version
of the article will come to the screen. Adobe Acrobat
Reader must be on the computer for this to happen.
If you are working on your personal computer and you
do not have the “Acrobat” program on the
computer, you may download it from the internet for
free. Be aware that this is a graphics program and
does consume a great deal of memory. Check your free
memory before download begins.
InfoTrac will provide similar search possibility.
Choose “General Reference Gold (InfoTrac)”
from our Online
Databases page. When it opens to the screen change
from “subject guide search” to “keyword
search” using options on left side of screen.
Follow the same search suggestions found above under
ProQuest. The results of your search will have a different
appearance. But the same possibilities for access
are present.
On the results list page you are shown if there are
citations only; expanded citations; text; or text
plus graphics. Click on “blue” title and
the full record appears on the screen. If the text
is available and you would like a printout of the
article, again you may check for “image availability”.
To do this in InfoTrac databases use the options on
the left side of text screen and select “e-mail
and retrieval”. This will take you to a screen
that will allow you to e-mail the text of the article
to yourself and will have an “Acrobat Reader”
option for pdf file if image is available.
If you have found citations only for articles in
either ProQuest or InfoTrac, you may find if our library
has the article available in another database or in
paper by choosing to search our library catalog on
SDLN. When you select SDLN the page that appears allows
you to go to the “Online
Catalog” to search for the magazine or journal
title. If our library has access to the title a record
will appear. In this record the “Location”
line (s) will provide information on where the periodical
will be found. If the location is “PERIODICALS”
that means it is found in paper. Click on “Location
details” to check for availability of the issue
you need. Other “Location” possibilities
are “ONLINE JOURNAL” indications for ProQuest,
InfoTrac (various files), JSTOR, American Chemical
Society, etc.
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How do I find an article in Scholarly periodicals?
Scholarly periodicals are defined as being journals
with articles that:
1. are written by experts in their field;
2. are “referred” or “peer reviewed”
before inclusion; and
3. are documented with a reference list or bibliography
of sources used.
Our library provides access to scholarly journals
within InfoTrac and ProQuest. Specific files included
in ProQuest are: ABI INFORM, General Science Plus,
ProQuest Education Complete Plus, and PsychInfo.
We also subscribe to a number of databases in InfoTrac
and many standalone databases. All of these databases
are listed on our Online
Database page.
Follow the instructions for searching ProQuest and
InfoTrac given under “Find an article in a popular
periodical”. To use ERIC follow the SDLN search
practices with the exception of choosing to search
by “Descriptor keyword”. PsychInfo and
the “Stand Alone Databases” will each
have different instructions for searching. Follow
the instructions found within each database to be
most successful.
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How do I find a government document?
The library is a depository for the federal and the
State of South Dakota documents. You can search library
catalog for these documents. The government documents
are located on the upper floor of the library. Please
visit Govt.
Documents page for more information.
How do I find a
Website?
The library maintains a list of quality Websites
on various subjects. You can search the library Web
Portal by keywords. We have also provided a list
of good search
engines on Web.
How do I get access
to the library databases from my home?
Only registered students, faculty, and staff of BHSU are allowed to access databases using off-campus computers or dorm computers. When prompted, please enter your BHSU e-mail address as your username and type in the password that you use to login to a BHSU computer or to access your BHSU e-mail. All databases except Ancestry Library Edition and Foundation Directory Online are now available to off-campus users. A description of databases is given on Online
Databases page.
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How do I log on to the
computers on campus?
Please retrieve your BHSU e-mail address and password, WebCT, WebAdvisor login, and library barcode from student login distribution system.
How do I print from the library
computer?
Each semester $18 is placed on to your Buzz card for
computer printing. You may send a print job from any
computer and then go to the printer station to swipe
your card and select your job for printing.
Where are the magazines
or journals?
Current issues of popular magazines are located adjacent
to the coffee shop. Back issues and scholarly journals
are found on the north end of the upper floor of the
library. They are filed in alphabetical order by title.
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When is the computer support
part of the Information Desk available for help with
computer problems?
The schedule for the desk is basically 8-12 and 1-4
Monday-Friday with a few exceptions. If no one is
at that location you may go to the Technical
Support Services office located across from the
Radio Station on the lower floor of the library.
