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4.2: Meet with a Librarian

  • Page ID
    289248
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    I had a meeting with [a librarian] and it just really, really helped kind of organize this is how you do it...It’s almost like the structure became visible to me and it never was visible, before." (Graduate student participant as cited in Droog et al. 2024, p. 837)

    Supports: Meet with a Librarian!

    Making a research appointment with a librarian before doing this unit will show you how to use your university library's specific resources. Then, as you complete the activities, you won't have to stop and figure out which tools your institution provides, or what your login information is.

    Why make a research appointment?

    Making an appointment to meet one-on-one with a librarian can:

    • Increase your confidence in effectively navigating your university library's resources.
    • Help you brainstorm your topic
    • Launch you into expert searches in the databases specific to your topic.

    How to make a research appointment?

    1. Visit your library's website. If you can't find it, try Googling your university's name + library.
    2. Look for links that might be titled: Research Appointment or a Library Consultation.
    3. If you can't find a way to schedule the appointment, find a way to chat, email, or even just stop by a library in person and ask how to schedule one.

    Tip: Usually you'll need an appointment. If you just walk up to the desk, the best librarian for your area of study might not be available. Or if you just ask for help on chat, it's possible you'll chat with a helpful student worker, but not with someone trained to teach in-depth research techniques.

    When should you meet?

    Now is a great time to meet with a librarian! You can bring your Venn diagram to the appointment.

    If you prefer to learn on your own or you already have a good foundation for using your library's resources, you could first work through this unit about searching on your own. Then, after you finish this unit, you could make an appointment with a librarian to ask more specific questions. Or to just ensure you're not missing anything, such as a keyword you didn't consider, or a database you hadn't known existed.

    Activity: Meet with a librarian \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Here are questions you might ask your librarian. Be sure to write any notes here from your meeting with them. Some key things to note:

    • Which database(s) will be best for your topic?

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    • Search terms – what terms did you try with a librarian?
      • Write them down here or in your journal– even if you saved your searches in a database. You might want to use those same terms elsewhere.
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    • How will you save your citations?
      • Which citation management tool? (e.g. RefWorks, Zotero, Mendeley, etc)
      • Write down the tool name, how to access it, and your username/password here:

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    • How can you access full text?
      • From a database?
      • From Google Scholar?
      • From a citation?
      • How do you request full text through Interlibrary Loan?

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    • Do you need an extra login to save your search history in the database(s)?
      • If so, write down your username/login here:
    Reflection \(\PageIndex{1}\)

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    This page titled 4.2: Meet with a Librarian is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Frances Brady.