KCC Library Contributed Column
There are many ways to get help from a Kirkwood librarian – Walk in to the Iowa City campus library or the Cedar Rapids location in Benton Hall for in-person help. This is often the best, quickest way to get an answer.
Not everybody is on campus so other options are phone and chat. Call 319-398-5697 in Cedar Rapids or 319-887-3613 in Iowa City.
From our website guides.kirkwood.edu/library start a chat using the “Ask a Librarian” pop-out window or the blue and white “Questions? Ask a Librarian” box. Chat is a convenient way to send information back and forth. Chats can be quick or not so quick depending on your questions.
A final way to get help from a librarian is with a research help appointment. These are great if you have in-depth questions that may require more of our undivided attention. They can be in-person or online chat with a Zoom option. Look for the “Make a Research Help Appointment” link on our website.
The library provides 90 databases for all types of research – Databases are organized (unlike the Internet) collections of information that are searchable electronically. They include articles, ebooks, videos, and music.
Many of our databases have a scholarly/peer reviewed filter – often an assignment requirement. Others focus on popular or trade publications like magazine and newspaper articles, and some include streaming videos or classical and jazz music.
Students commonly use: Academic Search Elite for a wide variety of topics; Business Source Elite for business and marketing; CINAHL for nursing and allied health; and Opposing Viewpoints for viewpoints on the latest social issues.
Less common, but still interesting are: A to Z World Food for food culture and recipes; Global Road Warrior for culture, history and more on 175 countries; and Chilton Library for automobile step-by-step service and repair procedures.
For information on any of our 90 databases, go to the “Journal Articles” link on the library homepage for more information.
Spring break is a great time to read for your own enjoyment – Catch up on classics, read some historical fiction, the latest bestseller, a memoir, or any other type of good old-fashioned non-fiction. Need ideas? Browse our Popular Books section. Didn’t know we had one? We do.
We also have nonfiction and other current and classic literature on our second floor. Didn’t know we had a second floor? We do! If there’s a specific book you want, search our catalog on the library homepage or ask a librarian. See first paragraph.
Kirkwood Library Services
Categories: Contributed, Feature, Library Update
