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Library Orientation

Library Exercise for SDV 108:  College Survival Skills

The Library at Southwest Virginia Community College is a fully automated, academic resource center for students, faculty, and the community.  The many different types of resources include print books, e-books (electronic books), CDs, DVDs, videos, audiocassettes, recorded books, periodical subscriptions, and over 7,000 full-text periodicals in electronic format.  These resources can be used in a tradition manner in the Library, located in Russell Hall.  All of the electronic resources are available via the Internet from the Library, any computer lab on the SVCC campus, or from your home, office or public library.  Note that access to databases off campus requires a user name and password provided through Remote Access.

Students working independently to complete the SDV 108 class will get credit for completing this library exercise.  Fill in all the blanks, and click the submit button at the bottom. You will receive an immediate confirmation notice that your answers were successfully received in the library. The exercise will be graded, and your grade will be sent to your orientation instructor. You will receive an email informing you of your forwarded grade.

All the materials you need to complete this exercise are located online.  The Student Library Handbook is available online.  If you wish, you can pick up a printed copy of the Student Library Handbook at the circulation desk of the SVCC Library.

Allow an hour to read the information and complete the exercise.  You will find it convenient to print this page and take notes as you prepare your answers.  Often, you will be able to copy and paste the answer(s); however, some students report that they "lost" the page before completing the exercise.  Please use the comment section to report any problems.

A.  Student I.D. and Library Card

    A1.  At your convenience, obtain a student ID at the SVCC Library.

    A2.  Name: 

    A3.  Student e-mail address (please indicate your student email address as provided by the Virginia Community College System. 
If you are not sure of your student email click here to access a student email directory.)  You are encouraged to use this email system: 

    A4.  Other email address(es):

    A5.  Library ID Number: (14-digit number on the back of your photo ID/library card--NOT your EMPL ID   number) 

            2 7228 

    A6.   Please choose today's date  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2008 2009 2010

B.  Online Library Catalog

    B1.    Read the information on searching for information using Boolean Logic or truncation (click on this link).

    Using boolean logic or truncation, conduct a keyword (anywhere) search of the online library catalog to locate a printed book or video or audiobook. You may use any topic to create your boolean logic or truncated search.  List your search terms in B2 below.

     (Note: Many students miss this question because they do not use the link and look at the examples of Boolean Logic and truncation.)          

Other examples of Boolean Logic search terms:	Other examples of truncated search terms:
poetry AND nature   mustang NOT automobile   (alligators OR crocodiles) AND photographs	communi?  (searches for community, communication, etc.) archeol? (searches for archeology, archeological, etc.)

  

    B2.  Search terms:

    B3.  Title:

    B4.  Location:

    B5.  Call Number:

C.  Research Topics

    C1.  Use one of the GaleGroup databases to locate information related to one of your classes.  Choose the database that best fits your course of study (i.e., Health and Wellness Resource Center, Computer Database, or the general InfoTrac OneFile).

Next, conduct a keyword search of some topic or term related to your classes or course of study in the database you chose. For instance if you chose the Health and Wellness Resource Center, you might search for keywords such as "child abuse, "cancer treatments," "Dr. Jonas Salk," or "lyme disease AND children." Look at several of the journal or newspaper articles that are listed in your search.

Choose one of the articles in the search list to write a citation that you might include in a research paper list of sources. You can locate the citation format on the article page either by clicking on the link for Source Citation at the top of the article or by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the article where the Source Citation is listed. You may also look carefully at examples of citations available online at  How to Cite an Article from InfoTrac, or you can obtain a printed copy in the library. In question C4, write or copy the source citation for the article you chose.

    C2.  Name of GaleGroup database you chose: 

    C3.  Your search keyword(s) or term(s):

 

    C4.  Citation:  (As of November 20, 2002, 99% of students missed this question because they did not  use the links provided in C1 and look at the examples of citing online resources.  This is the MLA form used for references by the SVCC English Department.)

D.  Online Magazines and Journals

    D1.  Online, full-text periodicals are a major academic resource for college students.  Over six thousand periodicals are available through the Virginia Virtual Library.  Use one of the following locators to find a periodical related to one of your courses.

    Virginia Community College System periodicals locator     
    or 
    VIVA periodicals locator

    D2.  Search terms (title, keyword, or vendor):

    D3.  Title of Periodical:

    D4.  Location of full-text database (list only one): 

 

E.  Academic Resources

    E1.  Read through the list of databases available online.  You will note that the list is extensive.  Choose one database from the alphabetic list and provide a brief description of the type of information contained in the database and types of searches available.

    E2.  Title of database:

    E4.  Description: 

    F1. Report any problems and make suggestions for improvement.  
    Comments:

 (After you submit your answers below, you will  receive an immediate confirmation that your answers have been successfully received at the library. You will also receive an email after your answers have been graded; your grade will be submitted to your orientation instructor as well.)

Please be sure to click on the button.

Click on the button to clear the form if you need to start over.

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