LSU Libraries Subject Guides
Sociology Resources at LSU
Middleton Library Reference Services

Access to LSU Libraries Home Page, Catalog, and Electroic Resources

Primary access to these resources is through LSU Libraries Homepage LSU Libraries Homepage (http://www.lib.lsu.edu). There are computers available in the reference area and in computer labs in Middleton Library and elsewhere on campus. If you have difficulty connecting contact the Computing Center Help Desk at 225-578-3375 or help@lsu.edu.  In the A-Z directory on the Homepage click “C” for Computer Labs.  There you will find lab locations, hours, and a list of software available in the labs.

LSU Libraries Home Page

The Libaries Home Page provides access to LSU Libraries catalog, electronic indexes & databases, government information sources, ready reference sources, and more. HOURS are found under About Us. INSTRUCTION is under Departments. The A-Z list will find just about anything provided.

Library Liaison

I am the Library Liaison to the Department of Sociology. I can be reached by e-mail (cbell7@lsu.edu) or phone (225-578-7578, 9432 fax). My office is in Middleton Reference, Room 141, first floor. I am available to meet with Sociology faculty, students, and staff individually or in a class setting; to help faculty/instructors promote information literacy competencies by construct appropriate assignments; to help faculty, students, and staff identify, locate and evaluate the materials you need; and to receive suggestions for books and electronic resources. Carol Bell.

LSU Libraries Catalog

For help searching see Tutorials on this page http://www.lib.lsu.edu/instruction/

Access is free. The catalog identifies materials in the LSU Libraries: Middleton (main library), Hill (Special Collections), the Cartographic Information Center (maps) and Veterinary Medicine including books, newspapers, journals, magazines, government publications, electronic: indexes, databases, journals, theses, dissertations, videos, music scores, cassettes, CD-ROMS, maps, and other catalogued items.

Basic Search (on the Library home page)

First, select a field (left box) to search: author, title, subject, periodical title, or keywords anywhere (which incorporates all the fields) and type your words in the blank (center) search box. If you are starting research on a new topic, you may want to use Keyword anywhere.

Keyword Anywhere/Keyword Searching

Keyword (used in the right hand box) specifies a search for your term anywhere inside the specified field.

For a topical search, leave "Keyword anywhere" in the left box. Also leave "Keyword" in the right box, and type the term in the empty, middle box. To search on a multi-word phrase, it is most reliable to enclose the phrase in SINGLE quotes. To request a combination of two or more single words, use the word "and" as: transportation and Louisisana. To request alternative terms, use the word "or" as: Louisiana or Mississippi. A more complex search can be specified with parentheses, as: (transportation or travel) and (Louisiana or Mississippi). You can also use $ to truncate a word (polit$ for politics, political, politician) or ? to represent a single character (wom?n for women or woman or boy? for boy or boys).

Author, Title, and Periodical / Keyword Searching

Select the Author, Title, or Periodical Title field (left box), as appropriate. However, note that using a Keyword type search (right box) is appropriate ONLY in cases when the exact spelling or title is unknown. When the specific author spelling or specific title IS known, the Browse method (right box, see below) is much preferable.

Subject/Keyword Searching

Subject searches (left box) are more precise than Keyword searches. For a catalog item (book, CD, etc.) to be linked to a subject term means that the item is truly about the topic. (Sometimes Keyword searches return records in which the searched-for term is used in a different manner than as a topical term.) Subjects are vocabulary terms issued by the Library of Congress. However, do not be intimidated if you do not know a specific subject term. If you are getting too many results with Keyword searching, try your term as a subject term. This may eliminate spurious results.

Searching for [Articles in] Periodicals (Newspapers, Journals, etc.)

The catalog CANNOT be searched forarticle titles because it does not contain them. However, starting with the citation to an article, use the Browse search (right box, see below) to find the title of the periodical that contains the article.

Select the Periodical Title field (left box). Type the periodical title, or the first several words of it, in the middle, search box. You should receive a results list that includes the details for both print and electronic holdings (assuming we have them).

If you are looking for a recent article, start by clicking Details of the electronic version. Look at the Electronic addresses for the databases that provide this periodical. Be sure to check the date ranges to determine whether a database carries the date of your citation.

If there is no database covering your date (or your periodical at all), then look for your date in the Details of the print version of the periodical. For print periodicals, the definitive list of holdings (to check for dates) is the one labeled: Complete Holdings.

Note down the call number for the physical location in the library stacks (shelves). Most journals are located in the main library stacks, second to fourth floors. However, recent unbound journal issues are located in the Current Periodicals/Newspapers Room, Middleton, Room 126, first floor.

Browse and Exact Searching

A Browse search, changing "keyword" (in right box) to "browse," will take you to a list of terms occurring alphabetically close to the terms you entered in your chosen field, making the results more targeted. Simply scan the list for the desired item. In the case of searches for authors who have been prolific, the results will also be much more organized.

Moreover, as Browse performs a left-end, exact match search, it facilitates abbreviating. For example, in a title search, you may abbreviate a long title to the first few or several words with Browse, as: "Wisconsin Handbook for Read" instead of "Wisconsin Handbook for Reading Improvement: Section B Right to Read & the Community." This saves time; eliminates some potential spelling errors; and permits one to see all the available, similar, Wisconsin reading handbooks.

Use the Next and Previous links to scroll down and up the list, respectively.

An Exact search is similar to the Browse search in Author searching. WIth respect to titles, it may provide unexpected, often unsatisfactory, results and is not recommended.

Advanced Searching

To use Advanced Search, click on the link beneath the Basic Search area on the Library home page .   A search becomes “advanced” when you need to search more than one field at a time, such as searching both for author and topical term together. Another use is for applying limitations, such as restricting the publication date range or limiting to one type of material or format (audio CD or visual materials).

PIN Information and Renewals

These can also be accessed from the left frame on the Homepage. Your ID is the 17  digit number on your LSU ID card (including the last digit with no dash). If you do not know/remember your PIN, you may have it emailed to you, using the PIN link provided on the Library home page or the link on the Renew/My Account page.  You usually want to review your materials and then renew them.  You must renew them before their due date.

Reserve Materials

Reserve materials may be accessed by Instructor, Course Name, or Number.

Course Reserves

Faculty/instructors can place personal copies of books or library-owned books on reserve. Personal notes or articles from library-owned journals can be submitted to Circulation/Reserves (Middleton Library) to be scanned for students to access through Semester Book or BlackBoard. (Articles submitted to Reserves should include the copyright note from the journal. Forms are available at the Circulation Desk or online for including the authors, titles, call numbers, and loan period choice.) Students will need to order articles from interlibrary loan for articles not owned by LSU Libraries. For more information call Circulation at 225-578-2058 or 6722.

Borrowing Privileges

Use your LSU ID. Circulation policies and guidelines are at http://www.lib.lsu.edu/circ/.

Borrowing Privileges from Other Louisiana Academic Libraries

Courtesy cards may be obtained at the Circulation Desk, Middleton Library, during '8-5' weekday business hours. They can be used at participating libraries and are of special help to distance education students. For any questions contact the Circulation Department, 225-578-2058.

Privileges at Other Institutions (faculty only)

Through the OCLC Reciprocal Borrowing program faculty may enjoy faculty status at more than 130 research institutions. Contact the Circulation Department, Middleton Lobby, for details or call 225-578-2058.

Interlibrary Borrowing (ILLiad)

For faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students. From the Homepage click on Departments, Interlibrary Loan. Then either click Illiad Web Request Form to fill out a request, or click Interlibrary Borrowing for more information. Alternatively, go to: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/ILL.htmlThe ILB telephone number is 225-578-8264.

Also see Ingenta, below.

Ingenta

This is a document delivery service. Faculty, graduate students, and research staff can search Ingenta for research or instruction for citations to over 20,000 recently published journals. If LSU Libraries does not own the issue you need and has never subscribed to the journal you can request that a copy of the article be faxed to you at a fax location of your choice (or to the dafault location in the ILB office) at no charge to you, usually within 24-48 business workday hours. (The fax machine must be available 24 hours/day. The ILB fax number is 225-578-6992.) The library subsidizes this service at a cost of up to $45 per article. For charges above that amount contact ILB regarding payment.  It would be highly unusual if this were necessary.

You will need to establish a User ID and Password. As a First time user enter your 17 digit LSU ID in the appropriate box. Include the last digit but not the dash. Hit Enter and complete the submission form. Patron files are updated on the 14th day of class each semester. On subsequent visits enter your User ID and Password.

Ingenta can also be used to set up Reveal Alerts to enable you to stay up to date on current research information. Citations on certain topics or from favorite journals can be sent to you regularly on e-mail. More explanation can be found on the Ingenta page or you can contact me, come to the Reference Desk, or Ask a Librarian (telephone, e-mail, or chat).

Electronic Classroom

Middleton classroom 230B is available for class instruction requiring hands-on computer use. It may be reserved for individual class sessions. For more information see http://www.lib.lsu.edu/classroom or call the Middleton Reference Department, first floor, at 225-578-8875. I would be happy to meet with your classes as well. (For entire courses that need to be taught in a lab contact the Registrar's office, 225-578-1686.)  Room 230C currently only has an instructor’s station that can be used for demonstrations for Power Point presentations, for example.

Study Carrels

Graduate students and faculty can apply for a carrel in Middleton Library at the Circulation Desk (225-578-8264).

Virtual Tour of Middleton Library

You can take a tour at http:// www.lib.lsu.edu/instruction/tour. Paper copies are available in the lobby of Middleton Library.

Other Electronic Resources

For remote access to most Indexes and Databases, Electronic Journals, and Electronic Reserves you just need to provide your LSU ID number. If the databases require additional passwords and user names/logonids, those passwords are provided on your PAWS desktop menu under Library Resources, Off Campus Access. (The e-mail address in your PAWS account must have lsu.edu in the address). To register for a free PAWS account that will provide you with an LSU address, go to LSU's Homepage (http://www.lsu.edu) or LSU Libraries Homepage (http://www.lib.lsu.edu) and click on PAWS, About PAWS. Any LSU Faculty, Student or Staff member may get a PAWS account. If there are questions, contact the help desk at the computer center: 225-578-3375 or help@lsu.edu.

Databases

Many of the electronic databases have print counterparts located in Middleton Reference by the call number. From the LSU Libraries Home Page select Indexes and Databases and then either click on the first letter of the database title or make your selection from the (broad) Social Sciences Subject and select "Sociology," for example, to narrow your subject.

For remote (off-campus) access you will need to provide your LSU 17 digit ID and a PIN. If you do not know/remember your PIN, you may have it emailed to you, using the PIN link provided on the Library home page.

Sociological Abstracts, 1974-
Database for Sociological Abstracts Formerly called Sociofile.

Ingenta
Ingenta provides citations to articles in approximately 20,000 interdisciplinary journals. It can be searched by author, keyword, and journal title. See additional information in the introduction above.

Web of Knowledge
An interdisciplinary database that includes citation references. Once connected, click on Web of Science and proceed with your search.

Other useful databases include:

Academic Search Premier
Contains the full-text of 4,000+ scholarly publications covering the social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linhguistics, arts & literature, etc.

Academic Universe
Offers full-text online news, business, legal, legislative, and regulatory information that is updated daily. Now called Lexis Nexis Academic.

Access UN
Access to current and retrospective UN documents and publications, 1966 to date.

AIDSearch
To publications related to the AIDS virus, 1980 to recent

ArcUSA (GIS)
Generates thematic maps of the U.S. Available on CD-ROM in Middleton Library.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
A government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public.

Census of Population and Housing 1990.
Contains data from the most recent U.S. census for national, regional, state, and zip code levels. Library use only. Ask at Reference Desk. (Also see statistical section of the Sociology Subject Guide for web sources.) 2000 census data can be found at the U.S. Bureau of the Census website.

Child Abuse and Neglect  1965 - Sept. 1998.
More than 18,000 citations to books, journals, government reports, conference papers, state annual reports, curricula, unpublished papers and editorials, from 1965 to September 1998.

CINHAHL Abstracts, 1982-
Database for Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature for information on nursing literature, allied health professionals, and other health care issues. Ref Z6660 I42, reference stacks; paper subscription cancelled after 1992.

County and City Data Book
Data from 1990 census

CQ Weekly
Includes the full text of all CQ Weekly articles published since 1998.

Dictionary of Science & Technology
Electronic version of Dictionary of Science and Technology ; includes social Sciences

Dictionary of Substances and Their Effects
Data on chemicals with environmental impact

Dissertation Abstracts, 1861-
Database for Dissertation Abstracts International. The print indexes are in the general stacks. (Z5053 D57)

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Library
Online versions of various theses and dissertations from LSU graduate students; provides a link to the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.

ERIC Abstracts, 1966-
Database combining Current Index to Journals in Education, Ref Z5813 C8 through 1995, with Resources in Education, Ref Z5814 R4 U52, both in Reference stacks. ERIC documents (EDs) are in Documents, Middleton Basement on microfiche. EDs from 1994 are available full text.

GPO Access
Provides online access to U.S Government Printing Office

Handbook of Latin American Studies
Bibliography on Latin America, 1935 - 1995. (Recent updates in progress.)

Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition.
Includes full text documents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Care Financing Provides nearly 600 scholarly full text journals focusing on many medical disciplines including nursing and allied health and clinical pharmacology.

Index to Social Sciences and Humanities Proceedings
On CD-ROM. Ask at Middleton Reference Desk. Library use only. Print index 1979-.

JSTOR FT
Full text articles from many scholarly journals.

LexisNexis Academic
Offers full text online news, business, legal, legislative, and regulatory information, updated daily.

LexisNexis Statistical
Brings together statistical information from the Federal Government, including the American Statistics Index and Abstracts beginning in 1973 and full text to over 800 U.S. government statistical publications beginning in 1995.

Medline, 1966 - present
Contains citations and abstracts to international biomedical literature since 1966 from over 3700 journals on topics including research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues, and healthcare services. Sponsored by the National Library of Medicine.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)
Contains bibliographic information on over 135,000 criminal justice articles, with 6,000 citations added each year through semi-annual updates.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
Computerized Version of Occupational Outlook Handbook

ONET
Data from Dictionary of Occupational Titles  

Population Index on the Web.
Indexes publications on demography and population research.

PsycINFO, 1887 - present
Database for Psychological Abstracts produced by the American Psychological Association.

Regional Economic Information System (REIS).
Includes U.S. Department of Commerce economic statistics for the last twelve years organized by state, county, and metropolitan area, 1969-1996. Library use only. Ask at Reference Desk.

Scifinder Scholar
A software program from Chemical Abstracts Service offering electronic access to Chemical Abstracts. See the information ("i") icon about installing it on your computer.

Social Sciences Citation Index see Web of Knowledge

Social Services Abstracts, 1980-
Bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development.

Stat-USA.
Allows World Wide Web access to U.S. government statistical information on trade, economics, and business through four major databases: National Trade DataBank NTDB), Economic Bulletin Board, Global Business Procurement Opportunities, and Bureau of Economic Analysis Economic Information. Contact Government Documents (225-578-2570) for password information.

Statistical Abstract of the U.S..
Provides a quick statistical reference and guide to statistical publications and sources with over 1400 tables from over 250 governmental, private, and international organizations. Comparable to the 2003 print version. (See also statistics section of Sociology Subject Guide.)

Statistical Masterfile
Combines three searchable databases: American Statistics Index, Statistical Reference Index and Index to International Statistics. (See the information ("i") icon for more details.)

U.S.A. Counties
A reference source of county information for over 3400 variables

Web of Knowledge
Provides access to the Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and the Arts and Humanities Citation Index from 1984 to date.

WorldCat
Records of any type of material catalogued by OCLC member libraries.

Electronic Journals (Selected List)
To see if LSU Libraries has access to an electronic journal, search Electronic Journals on the LSU Libraries Homepage. This is a partial listing; the dates should also be checked under Electronic Journals as they are frequently updated. JSTOR has excellent coverage of sociology and demographic journals, beginning with volume 1 of the journals it indexes. There are often different urls for JSTOR titles depending on whether you are on campus or off campus. More recent online journal issues might be provided through LSU Libraries subscriptions to Electronic Collections Online or Academic Search Premier.

Government Sources - Selected Links

Government Resources
Administration for Children and Families
Administration on Aging
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly Health Care Financing Administration)
Consumer Information Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
CYFERNet: Child, Youth and Family Network
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institute on Aging
Social Security Online
Employment Training Administration

Additional Print Indexes

Additional print indexes for the social sciences are located in Middleton Reference stacks. Locations, call numbers, and holdings information are available in the catalog for individual index titles, e.g. type: t=sociological abstracts in the Title search box and press Enter. In the Advanced Search, do a Browse search by title.

 

Internet Search Guide


The Sociology Subject Search Guide can be accessed from the "Subject Guides" on the LSU Libraries Homepage: http:/www.lib.lsu.edu. Select Sociology from the Social Science category. (The uniform resource locator, url, is:http://www.lib.lsu.edu/soc/sociology.html)

Sociology Subject Guide Table of Contents: General Sources, Departments of Sociology, Discussion Lists, Journals and Scholarly Publications, Organizations(e.g. American Sociological Association), Specialized Subject Sites, Statistics, U.S. Government Publications. The Guide is under continuous revision. Suggestions and additions are welcome.

Useful Reference Sources

Browse the Reference stacks, HM-HX, for especially useful sources. Identify sources by doing a keyword search in the catalog, e.g. aging and encyclopedia.
The books below are all located in Reference, Middleton Library

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Handbooks, Surveys:


Directories

 

·  The National Directory of Children, Youth, and Familiy Services HV741 N3157 17th ed 2001/02`

·  Public Human Services Directory HV89 A55 2001/2002

·  Resources for People with Disabilities: A National Directory HN1553 R48 1998 (2 vol)


Statistical Sources


Consult the statistical sources in the catalog and the Sociology Subject Guide for useful sites, including the census and the Louisiana Population Center, also:

Other Sources:

·  ASA Style Guide (2nd edition) HM73 A54 1997 Table 2
·  Careers In Sociology (2nd edition) HM51 S8975 1999 Table 3
·  Criminal Justice Information HV7419.5 C75 1998
·  Great Jobs for Sociology Majors HM51 L24 1997
·  Sociology: A guide to Reference and Information Sources HM51 A29 1997
·  Successful Grant Writing: Strategies for Health and Human Service Professionals HV41.2 G58 1996 Table 3

 

LSU Libraries
Carol Bell, Library Liaison
LSU Libraries, Louisiana State University
Contact: 225-578-7578, Fax: 225-578-9432

URL: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/soc/socwork/resourceslsu.html
Last updated: Saturday, 31 May 2008