| Basic Library Research Skills | Southern Utah University |
Getting to know the library is the first step in finding the information sources you need.
First, we take you on a brief tour of the Sherratt Library so you'll know what you can find and you'll learn about the services provided by the library for students. Then we'll introduce you to the library collections and their information sources, as well as the classification systems used to group these materials and make them accessible. We will conclude with some facts about the library, FAQs or Frequently Asked Questions, that you should know when using the library.
You will discover that the Sherratt library is quite different from school and public libraries you've used. You'll discover that, even though the Sherratt library is a medium sized academic library, the arrangement and access to information resources, and the services offered to students are similar to what you'll find in very large academic libraries, like the University of Utah. Learn this library and you'll be confident when you use other academic libraries.
The
research process starts when you enter the Sherratt Library. In this
section, we will take you on a brief tour of the Sherratt Library.
The Gerald R. Sherratt Library has four floors: the lower level, called the Garden Level, and three upper floors. When you enter the SUU Library you are on the First floor. Briefly, here is what you'll find on each floor:
Garden Level
Special Collections, classrooms, Media Collection, Curriculum Collection, & media viewing rooms.First Floor
Circulation, Reference and Reference Collection, serials (periodicals), copy center, library computers, and student computer lab.Second Floor
Main Collection and group study rooms.Third Floor
Juvenile Collection, oversize books, group study rooms, and library administration and faculty offices.
Now take a closer look at the features and services you will find on each floor of the Library.
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b. First Floor
The Circulation Desk is where you borrow or return library materials. Books can be checked out for two weeks. Magazines and media materials may be borrowed for two days. Reserve is located at the Circulation Desk, where your professors place materials so they are available to all students. Reserve books check out at the Circulation Desk for short time periods. Most articles, tests and papers are available on Electronic Reserve. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is also located at the Circulation Desk. When our library does not have a library item you need, Interlibrary Loan will locate and borrow it from another library. Library computers and a student computer lab are located on the First Floor. Both areas require you to logon with your student network account ID and password. The Serials Collection is where you'll find magazines, newspapers, journals, newsletters, and microforms. Current and past issues of these periodicals are arranged on the shelves alphabetically by title. The SUU Serials Holdings List is a book listing all issues of serials held by the SUU Library. Copies of this book are available in the Reference area and at most of the computer terminals. The Microforms Collection consists of microfilm and microfiche of government documents, back issues of periodicals, and ERIC documents. The Copy Center has self-serve machines for copying books, serials, and microforms. A color copier, a color printer, and a fax machine are also available. Articles printed from electronic databases on library computers and printing from the student computer can be picked up in the copy center.
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d. Third Floor Oversized books are also located on this floor. Library administration, the cataloging department, faculty offices, and the collection development office are located on the east and south sides of this floor. Group study rooms, individual study carrels, and numerous study tables are available for students to use. Now you know your way around the library! |
2. Locating Library Information (Frequently Asked Questions)
From the library home page, http://www.li.suu.edu, click on About the Library to find maps of the library, library hours, telephone numbers, and a list of library faculty and staff. Here are a few facts about using the library:
Item Check out at: Books Circulation desk or self-checkout Periodicals Circulation desk or self-checkout Media materials Media Collections Reserve materials Circulation desk Reference material no check out available Microfilm/fiche no check out available Your student ID is required for all checkouts.
Present your student ID at any college or university library in Utah and you will be able to check out material. You may return the books to the library where they were checked out or the circulation desk in the Sherratt Library and they will be returned at no cost to the student.
ILLiad, accessed from the library Web page, allows you to submit requests for articles and books not available in the Sherratt library. Articles requests can take 2-3 days.
The library Web site is your doorway to library research.
SUU Home Page
Use the library Web site to find books, media and journals the library owns, to find articles, to find materials reserved for your classes, to search the Internet, and to find information about the library.
The library Web site is accessible to anyone connected to the Internet. To access the library Web site, go to http://www.li.suu.edu, or from the SUU Web site, http://www.suu.edu, click on Library on the left side of the page.
Many of the resources and pages accessible through the library Web site can be accessed freely from off campus. However, the library pays for over 100 subscriptions to electronic article indexes, many with full text articles, and you must be a SUU student to use these article indexes. These article indexes are available off campus using your university computer account (student ID and password). Home access setup instructions are discussed below.
Here's just a few things you'll find on the library Web site:
| Use databases to search for articles in newspapers, magazines, and journals. | |
| Use catalogs to search for books, electronic books and media in the SUU library and other libraries. | |
| Find facts and figures from encyclopedias and reference sources. | |
| Login to the LM1010 class. | |
| Courses for Utah School Library licenses. | |
| Library hours, contacts, and information. |
| Library maps, hours, telephone numbers, policies, and reports. | |
| Electronic photos, manuscripts, exhibits of local interest. | |
| Articles, tests, and papers available as electronic reserve for your classes. | |
| SUU Faculty Faculty Center events and information. | |
| Check to see if a full-text article is available in a print or online database. | |
| Send a request for books or articles not available in the Sherratt library. | |
| Library hours. | |
| How to access library subscription databases from off campus. | |
| Guides to help you with library research - MLA, APA, and others. | |
| Library information for SUU Faculty. | |
| SUU Special Collections information. | |
| Login to SUU WebCT classes. |
On campus: When you connect to the SUU Library homepage while on campus you will be able to access and search all of the library databases and book catalogs.
Off campus: When you connect to the SUU Library homepage from off campus you will be prompted to login using your student username and password. Make sure you select Student as your department:
After you login you will be able to search all the library databases.
a. Garden
Level
The
First Floor is where you will begin much of your library research. Reference is
the place to get help in finding library materials and where reference
books are located. The Reference Desk is
located in the lobby near the main entrance, and is staffed by librarians
to assist you in finding information and using the Library. The Reference
Collection contains encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries,
and other reference books to help you with your library research.
These materials may be used at any time but must be used in the library.
c. Second
Floor
The Juvenile
Collection includes children's literature such as picture books,
fiction, and non-fiction. This collection is also cataloged using
the Dewey Decimal System. This collection is also used frequently
by education students. 
