CJ 321 Library Research Guide
 

General Library Information | Government Publications | Library Holdings
Services | Recommended Research Strategy  

Most library information you need is now available from the library homepage:  www.uwec.edu/library
The reference desk is staffed from 8 - 9:30 M-TH and 8 - 4:30 F and Sat/ Sun afternoons.  
Call ahead if you need help:  836-3858.
Collections, including government documents, but excluding Special Collections, are accessible whenever the building is open.  Many statistical documents are library-use-only, so you may photocopy them, but not check them out.

• General overview of McIntyre collections

• U.S.  SuDoc order corresponds to publishing agency  C  (Commerce, including Census Bureau)  Y is Senate or House hearings, documents and prints

• WI    WiDoc numbers refer to agency or office:  ex:  Ed  (Dept. of Public Instruction/Education)

• Eau Claire city/county vertical file at the reference desk includes "hot topics" , statistics, voting information, local census, etc.  Use & photocopy in the library and return to the desk.

• L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library Reference dept.
  * Vertical files
  Black "Business" vertical files include information from Western Dairyland
  Black "County" files include files on Eau Claire and by topic, like education, housing, etc.
  Historical vertical files include City/County governmental body meeting minutes, such as the City/County Health Department
  * Leader-Telegram CD-ROM index is located on computer main menu

Most U.S. and Wisconsin documents have been cataloged in the McIntyre Library online catalog.  However, that is not the universe of government information.  Federal and state agencies also have migrated to using the Internet, sometimes exclusively, to publish their reports. Use the Government Web Sites Quick List to quickly check an agency or office web site for a publication.  Most are searchable, and can be sited as reliably as if you were looking at print sources

• Consultation (no fee)  You may ask a librarian to meet with you to plan or discuss your information searching needs
• Online Questions:  use the form available from the button on the library homepage
• Citation guides are available at the Reference and Reserve desks, as online library guides
• We recommend using the Univ. of Memphis government publications citation guide.

1. Choose, refine, and focus your research topic. Think of synonyms, broader, narrower, and related search terms.  You may want to refer to the online research map.  Use basic reference tools such as handbooks and guides to gain background knowledge and put your topic in perspective.
2. Search the online library catalog by keyword or subject headings in your topic area to determine our local holdings of both primary and secondary sources.
3. Check online indexes and databases for journal articles.  These are available under Articles in Journals, Magazines & Newspapers .  To determine what we own in print, or what electronic access we have to newspapers and journals use the McIntyre Periodicals List

Note: Access to these indexes and databases is limited to UWEC staff and students (including distance education students).

4. Check local sources:  newspapers, vertical files, city/county agencies and personnel.  If you need primary materials beyond our local holdings , search the MORE library web catalog for local public library materials and Eau Claire area Internet sites.
5. Work with a reference librarian to widen or narrow your topic.  We are here to help you!

 

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