Guest Commentary . . .
Scared? Who,
Me?
by Brad Martin
 Have you walked
into a library wondering where the card catalog
is? Where the periodicals are? The first time
this happened to me I was intimidated. How do I
find the information for which I am looking?
Finding a book or article that way is not going
to happen; with technology there is a more
efficient way to locate a book or article.
When you log onto
Parkland's Library webpage, your access to
information seems unlimited. With 24-hour
access to the many informational databases,
full-text online journals, and quick and easy
access to Parkland's online catalog as well as
the affiliate Illinois libraries, which are a
part of the ILCSO (Illinois Library Computer
Systems Organization) network, you can put
Google to shame.
You may find
plenty of interesting and up-to-date books to
check out within the Parkland catalog, and by
linking up to the ILCSO catalog (ILLINET
Online),
 you have quick and easy access to
library materials from dozens of libraries
located in the state. If selecting an item using ILLINET Online, your Parkland ID can provide you
with door-to-door service of your material
sometimes within the week. By the Parkland
College Library being part of this network,
there are millions of books available to you.
Not only is the system easy to use, an email is
sent to you once your requested book has
arrived.
This all might
seem overwhelming but it is very easy to
accomplish. Once you know where the databases
are located you will be able to find books and
articles with ease. It is no more overloading
than finding something on the World Wide Web
only from the library, you are guaranteed to
find a credible result.
Parkland College
has a 1-credit hour class called Information
Literacy (LAS 111), which teaches you how to use
the databases to find various types of
information. So there is no real excuse for not
using Parkland College Library to find
information.
If you still have
problems finding something, have a reference
librarian assist you. They can become your best
friends, as they have mine. A librarian might be
able to give you ideas on how to narrow down
your search of key words or subject headings for
your topic.
 There is no reason
to fear the library. The library is your first
place to look for information. Take time to
learn how to use the library databases. Your
library is conveniently located within the
College Center or from any computer that is
connected to the Internet. Searching for
information with the library’s help can be fun
and exciting. You have a wealth of knowledge in
your own backyard and at your finger tips.
Just with any
fear, the fear of the library can, too, be
overcome; however, one must take action to
accomplish this. Good luck!
-- Brad Martin, Academic Scheduler |