Things to know about the catalog:

• It's used for finding books, DVDs, and videos in the seven NOVA libraries.
  
  
• You can search all seven NOVA libraries at once, or limit to one campus. Remember: You have access to books at all 7 libraries! If you're searching the catalog and you see something at another campus that you want, click on the link for that campus (in the Campus column) and log in using your myNOVA username & password. Be sure to select the campus at which you want to pick up the book.
  
  
• You can do several kinds of searches in the catalog, including Subject (LC Subject) and Keyword (Anywhere).

Subject (LC Subject) Searching: This is the most precise kind of search. It is based on specific words that have been assigned to topics by librarians. Do this search when you have a general topic and you know (or can easily guess) the subject heading.

Example: the official subject heading for "cooking" is Cookery.

 

Keyword (Anywhere) Searching: Do this kind of search when you don't know the specific words that have been assigned to your topic, or when you want to search a combination of topics.

Take your research question and break it down into the most important words and phrases, and use AND in between.

 

Example #1:

Research Question: I need information on careers in physical therapy.

Hint: You are combining two topics: physical therapy and careers. Try a Keywords search.

Your search can be: physical therapy AND careers

 

Example #2:

Research Question: How has the AIDS crisis impacted the nursing profession?

Hint: You are combining topics: AIDS and nursing. Try a Keywords search.

Your search can be: nursing AND AIDS

The NOVA libraries subscribe to a number of e-book (electronic books) collections, several of which support nursing and allied health.

How to get there:

1. From the NOVA Libraries site, click on the box in the middle of the page that says eBooks & eVideos.
   

You should see a menu that looks like this:

Things to know about eBooks:

• eBooks are electronic versions of printed books.

• You do not need to "check out" our eBooks. You can access them as long as you have an Internet connection and are a student at NOVA. If off-campus, log in using your NovaConnect username and password.

• Each eBook collection has different books. You can read the eBooks from cover to cover, view just selected chapters, or do a keyword search to find the pages that contain the information you need.

• Most collections will allow you to bookmark and print or email certain sections, but in limited quantities. Copyright restrictions do apply.
  
  
• NetLibrary has a number of good books on health careers and resume/cover lettter writing. R2 Library and Stat!Ref have over 80 core titles in nursing and allied health. See also Gale Virtual Reference Library for medical encyclopedias and dictionaries.

• Databases are the best tools for finding articles from magazines, journals, and newspapers.

• Some of our databases also have e-books.

• Databases are very expensive, but NOVA students, faculty, and staff can use them for FREE.
  
  
• Using databases from off-campus:
  Because they are expensive, the databases are only for NOVA students and staff. You must enter a user ID and password to use databases from off-campus (it should be the same ID and password that you use to access myNOVA.

Database to try:

Health Reference Center Academic

Steps:

1. Be sure to select Subject Guide Search at the top of the screen (see picture below).

2. Let's say you are interested in finding articles on how asthma impacts children. In the search box, type asthma, then click GO. You should get a screen that looks like this:

Note that there is a separate category for Childhood Asthma.

3. Click on Childhood Asthma. On the next page you'll see your results list, which will look similar to this one:

Whenever you see the words "Full-text" or "Full-text with graphics" (see above), this means that the entire article is available in the database. Just click on the article title or the words "Full-text" to read it.

If full-text is not available, try the options in the box below:

After you've opened an article on your screen, you can use the Tools box to print articles (10 cents per page using your NovaCard if you're in the library), email them to yourself, or download them. Use Citation Tools for assistance in creating citations.

There are lots of good web sites out there, but also lots of junk.

Make sure you're using a quality site (who created it? Why? How old is it? Can the source be trusted?)

Use Best of the Web to help find quality sites:

1. Select Jobs and Careers .
   
   
2. Explore these resources:
   
   
   • Occupational Outlook Handbook
     
     
     • Published by the US Department of Labor
     • Provides information on over 250 different occupations, including salaries, working conditions, and job outlook.
       
       
3. Go back to Best of the Web
   
   
4. Select Nursing and Allied Health
   
   
5. Look Core Resources, as well as the categories for your program.

©Copyright Northern Virginia Community College. Last updated August 10, 2011. Comments to Beth DeAngelo.