Skip to Main Content
Banner Image Return to SJF Lavery Library Homepage Return to Lavery Library Research Guides Homepage

Library Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

Yes: links on the library database list and in our search results are set-up for off-campus access through your Fisher login.

Details on off-campus access to library electronic resources can be found HERE.

To check out something (like a book, movie, or game) bring the item to the Checkout Desk on the main level in the library. Checkout desk staff will scan the item and your Fisher ID. All students, faculty, and staff have accounts in the library system.

 

Additional information on borrowing library materials can be found HERE.

You can search the library for books, movies, games, articles, magazines using the "Big Red Box." The Big Red Box is the library search box on the library home page. This will search most things, but not everything, available at the library and through its online services. Some databases, particularly those with highly specialized content for a subject area, can only be accessed directly through the Databases A-Z List..

Go to the library home page to search HERE.

Watch a video about searching using the Big Red Box HERE.

No. The Big Red Box will search most things, but not everything, available at the library and through its online services. Some databases, particularly those with highly specialized content for a subject area, can only be accessed directly through the Databases A-Z List..

Depends. Let's review the differences between Google and a Library Search.

A library search focuses on scholarly literature. This includes journals, articles, thesis, books, abstracts, U.S. court opinions, etc. Most of this information is only available though paid subscriptions to academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and more. By scholarly literature we mean publications that are based on the results of research or studies.

Google (yahoo, bing, ...), on the other hand, have a broader scope, and retrieves resources regardless of where online they come from. Resources in a Google search do not have to be scholarly, and do not have to be based on research. However, if you need the latest news or updates on a current event; Google would probably be the best choice.

Watch a video on general internet searches HERE.

On the library home page, scroll down until you see, on the left side, a section titled "Related Links". Underneath that title there is a link titled "My Accounts." Click this link to go to the "My Accounts" page. There you will find a link to your Library Account. Log in there to see what you have checked out, or to renew something that's going to be due soon. You will also see a link to your Interlibrary Loan account, where you can see items you have borrowed from other libraries and request renewals as well.

The login and password for these accounts are the same as your Fisher network password used for computer logins, my.sjfc.edu, and Brightspace.

A citation is a reference to the source of information used in your paper. Any time you directly quote, paraphrase, or summarize the essential elements of someone else's idea in your work, an in-text citation should follow. An in-text citation is a brief notation within the text of your paper or presentation which refers the reader to a fuller notation (often at the end of the paper in a "reference list" or "bibliography") that provides all necessary details about that source of information.

Citing sources is becoming increasingly more complicated. If you have trouble citing something, contact Research Help and a librarian will be happy to answer your citation questions!

Additional information on citations can be found HERE.

If you want to save an article, look for a download option (ex. "PDF Download").

 

After downloading, rename the file something meaningful (ex. "Zhou and Douglas 2018 - Pancreas Regeneration.pdf" rather than "s41586-018-0088-0.pdf.")

Then save it to a folder you created for your project. Creating a folder in Google Drive or another cloud storage option for each class you take is a good idea, so you can access the files on any computer. Copy a backup of those files often. Backups can be saved to your computer hard drive, an external hard drive, or a thumb drive.