A Pathfinder for Library Research
The purpose of this pathfinder is to assist you in researching a topic of your choice using resources at Pierce Library and from the library’s home page at http://pierce.eou.edu
Books
You have access to four online catalogs and Google Books as a patron of Pierce Library:
- EOU: Books located at Pierce Library
- Summit: Books located in Washington and Oregon academic libraries
- Sage: Books located in libraries in Eastern Oregon
- WorldCat: Books located in libraries worldwide
- Google Books: Google's collection of digitized books
Step 1
Go to the library’s home page at http://pierce.eou.edu and look for the search area to find books and other materials. We suggest that you start first with the EOU catalog for quickest access to materials, followed by other online catalogs in the order listed above. Use the library catalogs to borrow books that you find in Google Books.
Step 2
If you don’t know the title of the book or the author, start your search by subject in the EOU catalog. For instance, if you were looking for books on leadership, access the catalog and choose ‘Subject’ from the drop-down menu, type ‘leadership’ in the search box, and Click on GO. The list of results can be sorted by relevance, title, author, or publication date.
Step 3
When you see search results, you will see location and availability for each title below the Request link for it (unless it is available online). If you see - By Request after the location, click on Request from the title information in the result list. Continue with your request according to these pickup and delivery options:
If you are an on campus student, or live within Union County and would like to pick the item up in the library, log in with your EOU ID number and library password and choose EOU Pierce Library as the pickup location at the next screen. You will receive an email notification when the item is ready for check-out at the Circulation Desk in the Ackerman Library on EOU's campus, where Pierce Library is located during renovation of the library building.
If you live within Union County and would like the item delivered to a library near you, log in with your EOU ID number and library password and choose any library listed as a pickup location at the next screen. The item will be delivered to that library for check-out. You are not responsible for return postage if materials are returned to the same library.
If you live outside of Union County, you also have the option of having the item delivered to any library listed as a pickup location, or you can have it mailed to you. You are responsible for return postage for items mailed to you.
Additional information and materials delivery options can be found here.
Using record summary details for each title:
You can also link to a title from search results to see complete record summary details. Location and status (availability) of the item is included in the copy summary information near the bottom of the page. As previously noted, it is important to check shelving location of each item, as it determines whether or not the item will be retrieved from the collection location or can be found in the Ackerman Library.
Examples of shelving locations:
- Closed Stacks / Main Collection - By Request (You will click on Request to have the item retrieved from the collection location).
- Ackerman Library / Reference (Since the status of this item is "library use only", you will go to the library and locate the item on the shelf for use there).
- Closed Stacks / Periodicals - Ask at Circ Desk (You will go to the library and ask about the periodical you need at the Circulation Desk).
No shelving location listed: This typically relates to electronic resources. A link to these resources can be found in the title record summary.
You can also find information about the interlibrary loan process by looking for the ILL section in the Pierce Library FAQ, which is available beneath the Help menu.
Step 4
If Pierce Library does not have the book, you can still get the material. Before making an interlibrary loan (ILL) request, check the Summit Catalog. Since most academic libraries in Oregon and Washington belong, there is a good chance the material is available.
Choose Summit from the list of catalogs and use the Advanced Search link from the catalog to search for the material you need by title. After you link to the item record, click on Request Summit Item. Log in with your EOU ID number and library password, and submit the Request This Item form. NOTE: Clicking on Continue near the bottom of the form submits the request.
The material will be sent to Pierce Library within 5-7 business days, and you will receive an email notification. We request that students living on campus or within Union County pick up interlibrary loan requests in person. This is simply to reduce our shipping costs.
Students living outside of Union County have two options for Summit catalog materials delivery.
If the item is not available, you can search other catalogs from the Pierce Library home page and/or request it though interlibrary loan. The Interlibrary Loan book request form is available beneath Find Materials on the library home page.
Journal Articles
Step 1
Use journal indexes and databases to search for articles about your topic.The online databases are available from the library’s home page (in the search area to locate journals, newspapers, and articles from databases). Use the subject drop-down box to list suggested databases in various subject areas. Find specific databases listed alphabetically, such as Academic Search Premier, by clicking on LIST.
Step 2
Using Academic Search Premier as an example, access the database and input your search term(s). (Note: An EOU ID number and library password are required to use databases from off-campus.) If too many results are found, you can narrow your search by adding additional terms. You can also limit by date, journal title, full text only, or other search options that are available. You can search by default field, subject, keyword, title, and other criteria.
Step 3
You can select the articles you are interested in by clicking on ‘Add to folder’, which follows each article abstract. Once you have located enough articles, you can review the list by clicking on ‘Folder View’ on the right side of the screen. After reviewing your folder, options include emailing and printing the articles or their citations. To learn more about these options or other database features, use the Help link at top right of each screen. (There are also links to basic and advanced tutorials following the Academic Search Premier description in the alphabetical list of databases).
Step 4
You have several options for articles that are not available in full text (from HTML or PDF links that follow the abstract):
- If you are able to visit the library, search the catalog to see if we own the journal in print and inquire about it by title at the Circulation Desk in in the library.
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If you are not able to visit the library, use the Find It button
that follows the article abstract in the database to search for the article in all the electronic resources to which the library subscribes. If the article is available in any of our databases, you will be provided with links to the full text. If it is not, you will be directed to request it through Interlibrary Loan.
Further Help
If you need further help, please Ask a Librarian. We are always happy to be of assistance.
