English 102 Library Orientation Guide: Welcome

In addition to watching the video above, open & bookmark these important library links. You'll need them!

1. Our Primo Search Engine: this is the sign-in page for the library and our main research tool that searches our library's books, e-books, articles, films, encyclopedias, and commentaries, and also suggests books and articles we can borrow from other libraries. Sign in to see sources and save favorites (thumbtack icon). Use filters in the left margin to narrow your search to what you want!  Primo is the place to start your research!
 

2. English 102 Research Guide: Be sure to bookmark this one! Great databases to use for any topic & especially for English 102. Find a topic, understand all sides of the issue, get background info, and find academic books & journal articles.  Check out CQ Researcher to help you find a topic, and pro/con articles on different issues. 
 

3. Full A-Z Database List: the library's hundreds of online subscription databases in A-Z order--you can click on the subject you are researching in the right margin to narrow down this list. Sign in to Primo first. 
 

4. InterLibrary Loan/Document Delivery (ILL): an amazing service for you as a student, ILL will borrow books and articles for you from other libraries, and if you're a distance student, they'll send you sources at your home or online. ILL is part of Primo searching. Click on the following links in Primo to make requests:

• "Hold Request" to have a book mailed to you at home or placed at the library front desk for you.
• "Request PDF" to have just a chapter or part of a book scanned for you.
• "Get it for me from other libraries" to have us borrow it for you (either print book or digital PDF)
• "Still can't find what you need?" to create an ILL request from scratch (for a book, article, or DVD)
   

5. Ask a Librarian: submit a research question, use the 24/7 chat service, or set up an appointment for a librarian to help you with your research (we meet via Zoom, phone, email, or in person!)

6. Google Scholar: search academic articles on the web to see what is out there, and link this tool to our library's articles by going to the Google Scholar drop down menu, then Settings, then Library Links, then searching for Regent Library & clicking it. If it's linked to us, Google Scholar can show you which articles we already have, and the rest can be requested through our ILL service. This is a great search to try if you are stumped or not sure of the right terminology to use. Also try Google or another search engine for background information and current opinions. 
 

7.  Library Homepage: links to everything you need and a Primo search bar to get started on your research.
 

8. WorldCat, a wonderful database of library catalogs nationwide you can search to see what books are out there (and if we don't own them, you can either request them through Regent's ILL or find at a library near you).  Also try the open web version, WorldCat.org, to see books at libraries around you.

For books, also try Amazon and Google Books, which both give previews of books' tables of contents so you can find chapter titles and page numbers.