If you need help, one of the first places you should stop is the library. Think of us as the front door of the college. We give you room to work, a place to meet, we pump materials in and out the door, provide online resources, help with research and how to use citation systems like MLA and APA. We’re glad to meet you where you are.
We don’t just offer in person services, but you can also contact us and even schedule research support sessions or whole classes online. You can reach a librarian in person, by phone (319-398-5697), by text (319-774-6491), by e-mail (library@kirkwood.edu), and even through our social media.
Our second floor is our quieter study floor and where you can find individual or group study rooms. You can reserve the rooms thru the library website at least 24 hours ahead and weeks ahead of you want. If you’re going to talk please use a study room or come downstairs.
A database is where you can search for scholarly or peer-reviewed articles on a particular subject. The library used to only offered the EBSCO set of databases. All over campus people started to think that EBSCO and database were the same thing and your instructor may say EBSCO in your directions when they really mean any library database of articles. Good news! Today the library has A LOT more databases than just the basic EBSCO products. Click on our All Kirkwood Databases list on our website to explore all the different databases we now offer from the New York Times to medical information to countries and food around the world and beyond! We even offer different kinds of databases of things like videos and music. https://guides.kirkwood.edu/az.php
Do you have to write a research paper? After you’ve found your information for the paper your instructor will normally tell you they want it in APA or MLA. These are both systems to help you give credit to where you find information and are called citation systems. They are similar overall, but differ a lot on the details. For citation questions we recommend coming to the reference desk in person if you need help because it’s a LOT easier for both of us, but you can also find help online: https://guides.kirkwood.edu/citation
We have books you can check out on both floors. The first floor has things like popular books, children’s books, and ELA books, plus DVDs. Take either the elevator or stairs within the library to the second floor to find our non-fiction books. You can find books you might need for projects or books you might just want to read for fun or literature books.
While most of the library’s collection is purchased with an eye to supporting assignments, we try to have books that are of interest to all students and if we don’t have what you want, let us know!
We also offer a DVD collection and two databases of streaming videos. The video databases are focused on documentaries, but they have regular movies, too. Look for them in our database list as Films On Demand and Kanopy: https://guides.kirkwood.edu/az.php Also look for the Naxos databases to stream classical music.
There is more to the online library than just the library website. Follow our social media on Facebook (kirkwoodlibraries), YouTube (kirkwoodlibraries), and Twitter (@kirkwoodsmart) to keep up to date with the library, new books, and what’s going on. Most importantly follow our blog for all the latest library additions and news. https://kirkwoodlibrary.wordpress.com People especially love following Eggbert’s adventures as library mascot. You can find him all over the library’s social media.
Kirkwood Librarian
Categories: Feature
