This guide points to library resources that will assist you in completing your Senior Capstone.
We're here to help!
Here are some ways to get assistance:
Contact Janet Vogel, your class librarian. I can be contacted by email (vogelj@hiram.edu), or stop by my office in the library next to the elevator on the 1st floor. I typically work M-F 8:30-5:30 and will be glad to help if I'm available. To guarantee I'll be there, please set up an appointment by emailing me in advance.
Contact any of the librarians using library@hiram.edu.
Contact the Ask Here Desk via phone at (330)569-5489, or in-person for questions related to your account, finding call numbers, etc. The library is open 7 days per week during the school year. Visit our hours page for complete details.
If prompted for a barcode to access library materials, use your student ID number (found on the front of your ID card).
The first time you check out physical materials, library staff will register the barcode that is on the back of your ID card. You may then use either that number (with no spaces) or your student ID number when prompted for a barcode.
If you have any questions or if there is a problem with your account, please email library@hiram.edu with your name, Hiram Student ID number (on the front of your ID), and the number on the barcode on the back of your ID. We will update your account within 1 business day.
The following databases are great places to start your research for this class. Note that Academic Search Complete and JSTOR are databases that search for information in all kinds of subjects, while the others in the list are specifically designed to focus on articles and information related to your course topics. Use the tabs at the top of the box to find more resources by type/topic.
Why a Psych database in a Communications Class? Depending on your research topic, they may include information about the ways humans communicate. If your topics don't require this type of research, don't worry - you can just skip this tab!
The New York Times contains every article, fully searchable, published in the New York Times since 1851. First, set up an account (instructions here). Then just connect to nytimes.com and login. Or, once you have your account set up, download the NYTimes app from the app store. For more information on setting up an account and using the iPad app, see the New York Times Subject Guide.
Tip: Use a keyword search instead of a whole question. Then narrow down the results with the filters on the side.
Search the Hiram College Library, OhioLINK, and many databases with one search.
Need help? Email us at library@hiram.edu
Database - a searchable index of reliable resources like academic journals, newspapers, and magazines. Some databases focus on specific subjects and may also include e-books and multimedia.
Locate a particular article if you know the title of the journal it is in and discover new journals in a particular subject area.
You will be prompted to login to the EJC when accessing from off campus. See Connecting from Off Campus for help with logging in.
The OhioLINK Electronic Book Center (EBC) contains more than 125,000 e-book titles, covering numerous subjects, and includes scholarly monographs, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference works. Most e-books are permanently owned by OhioLINK. Content is funded through a combination of member library contributions and OhioLINK central funds.
You will be prompted to login to the EBC when accessing from off campus. See Connecting from Off Campus for help with logging in.
The WorldCat Catalog
Search WorldCat if you have exhausted other options for locating the items you need (Hiram's Library Catalog, OhioLink/SearchOhio, OneSource, etc.). WorldCat is the world's largest network of library content and services. Currently, this shared catalog contains the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories.
If you find something in WorldCat that you want but can't find it in the Hiram College Library collection or OhioLINK you'll need to fill out an InterLibrary Loan Form to request the item.
The time required to locate and obtain these materials can vary so please be proactive in your research. When in doubt please visit the library and talk to our librarians for help.
Tips:
Keyword Search Entering one or two specific words will find many results although some might be unrelated to your topic.
Subject Search Select "subject" in the drop down, then type baseball or more specialized terms, such as: planetary motion; armadillo diseases; etc.). The * at the end of a base word will find the different forms of a word, for example, use regulat* to find results with regulation, regulatory, regulators. Using "and" in between terms will ensure both words are found.
Title/Author Search Choose "Title" for specific works or "Author" for books by a particular author.
Material Type (book, eBook, etc.)
Select a material type from the dropdown to limit to a Book (physical item), eBook (digital item), musical recording, map, and more.
Collection:
Select the Collection limiter to reduce your results to a particular part of the library, such as the film collection, juvenile collection, or government documents. Since the Government Documents collection is so large, it can sometimes overwhelm your results. Use the "All Collections Except Gov Docs" limiter to remove them from your search.
Find Books in the Juvenile Collection (2nd floor)
How it is Arranged?
The Juvenile Collection (also known as the Kids Books or the Children’s Collection) is actually four collections in one. What they have in common is:
The four collections are called:
Juvenile, which is the location given in the brief catalog record below:
| LOCATION | CALL # | STATUS |
| JUVENILE | 597.89 Jen | AVAILABLE |
The Juvenile collection contains non-fiction books, such a books about animals, biographies, as well as counting books and alphabet books. It is arranged by Dewey Decimal call numbers.
Juvenile Fiction, which is the location given in the brief catalog record below:
| LOCATION | CALL # | STATUS |
| JUVENILE FICTION | JF Se81b 2011 | AVAILABLE |
Juvenile Fiction contains beginning to read, middle grade, and young adult fiction. It is arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Picture books (call number begins with PB) contains picture books and are arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.
Board books (call number begins with BB) are books with thick, cardboard pages, typically for younger children. They are arranged alphabetically by the author's last name and stored in bins below the picture books.
How Do I Find Juvenile Books in the Online Catalog?
There are three tricks to finding fiction books (and sometimes non-fiction books) using the catalog. Let’s suppose you are looking for books on frogs. Here are two ways to find juvenile books on frogs:
