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L.

Patching, 2/13/18, page 1

MEMORANDUM

To: Leslie Patching


From: Isaiah Funston
Date: February 13, 2018
Subject: EVCC’s Online Library Features

Introduction
The EVCC online library is a valuable, yet often untapped resource containing tremendous
amounts of information. Study helps, vast archives of information, and tutorials are available for
most academic purposes. The online library has many features, but the most prominent are the
library catalog, databases link, and tutorials link.

Online Catalog Link


The catalog is the most commonly used part of EVCC’s online library. Using the catalog, any
information possessed by the library can easily be found. It uses a powerful search engine called
Primo. Additionally, there are numerous ways to find the same information. Title, key words, or
author can also be used to locate information in the catalog’s search bar. I can search the entire
library for books, magazines, articles, journals, or media. Some information, such as articles and
journals, can be accessed entirely online. When I find what I am looking for, I can create a
“favorites” list using pins. These pins save whatever I choose for future reference. If I find what I
am looking for, and it is not available as an online copy, I can use the catalog to place a hold on
that physical item. Shortly after, it will be available to pick up at the library. Not only can the
catalog be used to place holds, it can also be used to renew holds as well.

In addition to its main functions, the online catalog boasts several other convenient features. The
“Primo help” gives information on how to navigate the online catalog employing the search bar
or by tagging search results. Another feature of the online catalog is the A to Z Ejournals: a
modified version of the search bar used specifically for finding journals. The journals are
alphabetized for ease of use. If I need to find something from a ISSN or ISBN number, I can use
the citation search. The citation search can also be used with most information about the desired
document including the author, title, year, volume, issue, etc.

Finally, the catalog has both an “ask-a-librarian” and a “contact us” feature. The “ask-a-
librarian” feature enables me pose questions directly to a librarian. There are three different
methods for contacting a librarian. The first is an online chat that open 24/7 and monitored by
librarians from both EVCC and around the country. Any question will be answered quickly.
Email is a second option. Like the chat, any email will be promptly answered within a 24-hour
window of being received. The third way to contact a librarian is through calling the library
using the posted library phone number. This allows me to talk directly to the librarians but only
during regular library hours of operation. The “contact us” link leads to a page containing the
contact information for everyone associated with the library. Various departments, librarians, and
IT support technicians are all on this contact list.
L. Patching, 2/13/18, page 2

Databases Link
The library catalog contains countless features and information, but there are many other
important functions of the online library not in the catalog. The “databases” link provides access
to a sprawling collection of information not contained in the EVCC online library. This
encompasses access to 56 separate databases each with its own specialized online library
containing hundreds of documents. The 56 databases combined easily contain far more
information that the entirety of the EVCC library. Access to these databases is unique in that it is
a perk of being a student and costs nothing extra for students. In my research, I discovered
numerous interesting articles and journals. One of the these was the justification for the decision
to use the nuclear bomb in World War II from the opinions and documents written by Stimson,
Henry L, the Secretary of War. This one-of-a kind document is one of thousands of similar
historical gems in these vast databases.

Tutorial Link
Within the tutorials link, there are three sub-links: the IRIS tutorial, the copyright tutorial, and
the Microsoft Imagine Academy. The IRIS (Information and Research Instruction Suite) tutorial
is a program designed for 2-year colleges. It features helps for how to conduct research
effectively and efficiently step-by-step. It has tutorials on how to choose a topic, find information
on that topic, and how to keep good notes. For the actual research, it provides information on
how to explore your selected topic. This includes everything from the research process to how
different sources function and can be used. Following the steps of research, it has tutorials for
how to find the specific information I might desire. Upon completion of research, it has tutorials
for how to evaluate the found information. For use throughout the process, IRIS has tutorials for
how to avoid plagiarism and other forms of ethical issues. Quizzes complete the range of helps
offered by IRIS. These quizzes test how much information has been learned from each tutorial.
Needless to say, IRIS is an invaluable resource that contains many different tutorials.

The second sub-link contained in the tutorials link is the copyright tutorial. This link provides
access to a page with a nearly identical layout to IRIS. It contains numerous helps and tips for
how to avoid copyright issues. The most common is how to avoid using anyone else’s work or
thoughts without giving proper credit to them. In addition to this, the copyright tutorial also
contains helps for how to copyright and protect my own work. Additionally, the resources are
also broken down into students and faculty. Since the copyright issues that an instructor may run
into are sometimes different than what a student will experience, it has information for both.

The final component of the tutorials link is access to the Microsoft Imagine Academy. This
access has two different features; the Microsoft Imagine Academy and the Microsoft Digital
Literacy. The Digital Literacy link contains information on how to use computers safely and
effectively. This information is presented in online classes on many different topics. The main
three categories that these classes cover are how to be productive at home and at work, stay safe
online, and what careers these skills can be used in. The Imagine Academy has over 400 courses
on how to use Microsoft applications. What makes access to the Imagine Academy and other
online resources and databases so special is that these normally cost money or are private access.
L. Patching, 2/13/18, page 3

Other Features
On top of all of the aforementioned features of the EVCC online library, there are a few other
helpful links and databases. Pro Quest, EBSCO Search, Academic Search, and JSTOR are other
search bars that can be accessed through the online library. Each of these searches alone contains
a vast amount of information. Combined with the EVCC catalog search bar and the databases
link, the information at my disposal is tremendous. The LibGuides link provides access to
databases that are sorted by subject. You can select a given subject of major and a list of
resources will be displayed that are relevant to the topic. The last feature of the online library are
the research guides. It provides information on how to use various formats such as APA and
MLA as well as subject guides for other subjects. Any research guide that could be desired can
be found in this link.

Best Databases and Effective Techniques


Out of the databases housed in the databases link, some are more helpful towards the objectives
of this class than others. However, it is nearly impossible to know exactly which will be the most
beneficial towards my cause. I can safely assume that the links on subjects such as war, nursing,
and nutrition are less likely to be useful for my purposes. Instead, the databases that contain
subjects such as business or legal issues are more likely to contain information relevant to
technical writing. One effective method of utilizing a database is to search keywords beginning
with broad words and then narrowing down the search using more specific search terms. In this
way I can find any information loosely associated with the topic as well as the exact information
I need.

Conclusion
Whether it be searching for information for a research project or just browsing for fun facts, the
online library has it all. The information accessible in the online library is nearly infinite. The
catalog alone contains more information than the physical library. Adding the various databases
and tutorials makes the amount of information skyrocket. All of this is a perk of being a student
at EVCC and yet most people don’t know about it. Before conducting the research for this
memo, I hadn’t ever used it. In conclusion, The EVCC online library is a gold mine for
information and research and I will be accessing it again in the near future.

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