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| OTHER TYPES OF INFORMATION |
Finding Other Types of Information
Libraries and the Internet provide access to many other types of information
beyond books, articles and Web sites. Government documents, media, special
collections, archives and subject experts may all be useful information
resources, depending on your topic. Some tips on how to find and use these resources are listed
below.
Government Documents
Every level of government, from local to federal to international, publishes
information for the public. Whenever you are doing research it is useful
to ask yourself if there are any government agencies that may have published
useful information on your topic.
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Some library catalogs may include some government documents. For example, the
Statistical Abstract of the United States is found in most libraries.
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Some article databases may provide access to government publications, such
as the Smithsonian Magazine.
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Some libraries are designated as "Government Depositories" and house large collections of materials donated by the government. Merrill Library at Utah State University is the largest government depository library in Utah.
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Most Web search engines will help access government Web sites. Almost all
U.S. federal government agencies have Web sites. All federal agency Web
sites will end with .gov. A few useful places to begin searching government
documents are listed below:
Tip: There are many useful government information resources on the Web and in libraries. This is just the very tip of the iceberg, ask reference librarians for
assistance.
Media
Media includes, pictures, graphics, illustrations, films, videos, audiocassettes,
audio files, software, CD Rom's, DVD's, etc. Any item not printed on paper
can be considered media.
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Libraries generally catalog media items and house them in a separate area,
known as the Media Collection.
- Article databases do not usually provide access to media. Although
images sometimes accompany articles, these are not usually indexed
separately.
Special Collections and Archives
Larger academic and public libraries will usually house a collection of
old and rare materials, or materials important for local interest. These
are often called "Special Collections" and/or "Archives." Materials
housed in Special Collections and Archives can not be checked out and
are usually viewed under the supervision of a librarian. Again, ask a reference
librarian for assistance.
Subject Experts
Students may need to consult with a subject expert after exhausting the
library and academic resources available. Experts are often university
faculty members, government agency specialists, research scientists, members
of professional associations, and others who have written or lectured in
a particular field of inquiry.
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Use subject experts to answer questions about your research topic or for
other sources of information.
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Identify experts from their books and journal articles, results of
Internet searches, professional and trade associations, faculty rosters
or Who’s Who and other biographical sources.
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Contact experts through Internet mailing lists, newsgroups, government
agencies, trade and professional associations.
TIP: When consulting subject experts, be especially considerate of their
time and be reasonable in your expectations, particularly if you are not paying
for their services.
Note Taking Tips | Back
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