Library Hours for End of Semester & Holiday Break

The OCC Libraries will be open normal hours through the end of classes on Monday December 15. The libraries will be open for returns & fine payments only December 16-19 and January 5-9 (except for Highland Lakes, which will be fully open on Dec. 16 & Jan. 8-9), and closed all other times until normal hours resume on January 12.

Complete hours and more details on the About the Library page. 

Happy Holidays!

Suspension of MeLCat service for the semester break

Please note that MeLCat services will be suspended for the upcoming semester break.  Monday December 8 will be the last day to request an item through MeLCat before the end of the semester.  

All MeLCat items must be returned to the library by Monday December 15 unless the due date is after January 5, 2014.

MeLCat services will resume as normal beginning January 5, 2015.

Thanksgiving Break Hours

The OCC Libraries will be closed for Thanksgiving break, Thursday November 27 through Sunday November 30. All other hours are as normally posted, please see the campus library contact page if you have any questions.

OCC Librarians Working For You: See What We've Been Up To Lately.

Your OCC librarians are constantly seeking ways to improve the library and become better at what we do. Here are some highlights of our most recent professional development activities: 

Google Hangout on the topic of LibGuides September 10, 2014

sponsored by SEMLOL – the Southeast Michigan League of Libraries

• Your OCC Librarians use web-based software called LibGuides to create research guides. Each research guide pulls together books, articles, and websites on a variety of topics such as American History, Biology Business, Careers, Government, Nursing, Sociology, and more.
• Alphabetical list of OCC research guides: http://libguides.oaklandcc.edu/allresearchguides/researchguidesAZ

Copyright for Educators & Librarians July 21 – August 18, 2014
sponsored by Duke University, Emory University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• A MOOC is a massive, open, online course. This particular MOOC helped your OCC Librarians “accomplish their legitimate educational goals in ways that respect copyright and reduce the fear and uncertainty that sometimes hampers creative teaching.”
• https://www.coursera.org/course/cfel

Going Beyond Google June 12, 2014
sponsored by American Libraries Live

• Panelists for this webinar “addressed the myth that Google—or the internet or other search engines—has all the right answers, but also discussed the ways in which Google provides opportunity for librarians and can enhance library services.”
• http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blog/al-live-going-beyond-google

Academic Libraries 2014 Conference May 29-30, 2014
sponsored by the Michigan Library Association

• This event “shared best practices, emerging trends, career advancements, mentorship and future goals for academic libraries of all sizes and library professionals.” Individual sessions were titled:
• Engaging Faculty in Information Literacy
• Coaching New Librarians in Teaching and Learning
• Copyright and You – Building a Comprehensive Copyright Course for Students
• Flip Your Class and Keep Flipping: Transforming Library Instruction
• Meeting the Challenge of Community College Librarianship: Trends Ahead and Competencies Needed
• http://www.milibraries.org/events/academic-libraries-2014-conference/

Negotiation of E-Resource Licensing & Pricing Terms May 7, 2014
sponsored by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services

• Participants in this webinar learned successful strategies for negotiating the cost and terms of electronic resources. These strategies help keep costs down and maximize the number of research databases that the OCC Libraries can subscribe to.
• http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/webinar/050714

Michigan Virtual Reference Conference April 25, 2014
sponsored by Research Help Now & Eastern Michigan University Library

• “Virtual reference” refers to the research help that your OCC Librarians provide via chat (aka instant message). We are part of a large network of college and university libraries that enables you to get research help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: https://oaklandcc.edu/library/ask.asp. Individual sessions were titled:
• Texting Reference: What is Success?
• Student Desk Assistants vs. Professional Librarians: How do Their Chat Transcripts Compare?
• Negotiating Instruction in the Chat Environment
• Gamestorming Virtual Reference

Securing Your Library in Troubling Times April 10, 2014
sponsored by the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, the Library of Michigan, and the Cooperative Directors Association

• In partnership with the Michigan State Police, participants received “training from the State Police about personal safety and developing an Active Shooter policy and procedures. There was input from librarians who have dealt with violence in their workplaces and instruction on layout and design of library space to reduce risk.”
• https://www.mcls.org/training-events/archived-events/041014program/ 

MeLCat Users Day November 4, 2013
sponsored by the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services·

• MeLCat is short for Michigan eLibrary Catalog, and it’s a statewide network that puts Michigan libraries at your fingertips. If OCC doesn’t have the book or article you need, your librarians will find it for you and have it delivered – for free – from another library.
• http://mel.org/ 

Submitted by Christy Malmsten

Faculty Librarian
Auburn Hills Campus Library

Last chance to attend free Library Success Seminars this semester

The campus libraries at Auburn Hills, Royal Oak & Southfield are wrapping up their free Library Success Seminars for the fall semester. These sessions cover a variety of topics to help you more successfully use the OCC Libraries. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars.

Auburn Hills Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Auburn Hills)

• Monday November 10 - Google Scholar & Google Advanced Search Get the most out of your Google searches.
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday November 17 - Locating Primary Sources Learn how to find the raw material that helps us interpret the past (letters, journals, newspapers, photographs, etc.).
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday November 24 - Michigan Libraries at Your Fingertips Learn how to use MeLCat to request materials from libraries across the state.
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206

Royal Oak Campus
(see other seminars for Royal Oak)

• Wednesday November 5 - Help Me Use mel.org and MeLCat
  4:00-5:00 in Room C202
• Tuesday November 11 - Help Me Find Good Websites
  10:00-11:00 in Room C202

Southfield Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Southfield)

• Monday November 10 - Citation Hustle
  3:00-4:00 in Room 212E
• Wednesday December 3 - Your Virtual Life
  3:00-4:00 in Room 212E

Human Library Returns to Highland Lakes November 5

Click the image to see the flyer

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be deaf?  What it is like to live with a mental illness?  What it is like to have survived cancer three times?  On Wednesday November 5 from 1pm – 7pm, the Highland Lakes Campus Diversity Committee and OCC Libraries will host our seventh Human Library. A Human Library is a collection of individuals who have been unfairly or negatively labeled and are available for “check out,” creating a cross section of “books” that represents the diversity of our population.  This allows “books” and “readers” to interact with people from all walks of life and hopefully break down barriers that are cornerstones of prejudice. For more information, please go to www.humanlibrary.org .
On Wednesday November 5, at the OCC Highland Lakes Campus Student Center from 1pm-7pm, our Human Library will have 13 Human Book titles.  Please come and check them out.

The Human Library was started several years ago in Denmark to help break down barriers and end prejudice.  The idea was simple: if you meet people from other walks of life, people different than yourself, they become real and no longer belong to a faceless group.  Once people start talking and getting to know one another, it becomes harder to discriminate against others as we realize we are more similar than we are different.  For more information, please go to www.humanlibrary.org.

Submitted by Allison McFadden-Keesling

Faculty Librarian
Highland Lakes Campus Library

Raider One Card Update: Now Three Ways To Get Your Card

Did you know you that you need your Raider One Card to use certain library services, such as borrowing library materials, renewing or requesting OCC Library books online, or using MeLCat to request materials from other libraries?  You can also use it to print & copy in the library.

If you haven't got your Raider One Card yet, there are now three ways you can get it done:

• Visit a Raider One Mobile Carding unit, available on-campus the first two weeks of each semester.  See dates & times for the mobile unit.
• Order your card online & submit your own photo.
• New - Stop by a Raider One Card Photo Station at any OCC Raiders Store to have your photo taken.  Make sure you bring your OCC student ID number and a photo ID.

See the flyer for more information, or visit the Raider One Card website.

Free Library Success Seminars in October at Auburn Hills, Orchard Ridge, Royal Oak & Southfield campus libraries.

The campus libraries at Auburn Hills, Orchard Ridge & Southfield are all offering free Library Success Seminars in October. These sessions cover a variety of topics to help you more successfully use the OCC Libraries. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars.


Auburn Hills Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Auburn Hills)

• Monday October 6 - Evaluating Websites Learn how to identify credible, trustworthy websites.
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday October 20 - Scholarly vs. Non-Scholarly: Why Should I Care? Learn what it means for articles & websites to be scholarly & credible – and why you should care.
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday October 27 - So You Have a Pro/Con Assignment
  Learn how to locate resources that offer multiple perspectives on a controversial topic.
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206

Orchard Ridge Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Orchard Ridge)

• Monday October 6 - US Government Resources @ Your Library
  Discover how to enhance your research papers using Government resources.
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday October 13 - Google Tricks & Tips
  Improve your search results using Google Advanced Search.
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday October 20 - Evaluating Web Pages
  Learn techniques to determine if a web site has reliable information.
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday October 27 - Special Seminar: Choosing a Research Topic
  Need a research topic? OCC Libraries have great resources to help you out.
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library

Royal Oak Campus
(see all October 2014 seminars for Southfield)

• Tuesday October 14 - Help Me Find Articles in Library Databases
  4:00-5:00 in Room C202
• Monday October 27 - Help Me Narrow A Topic
  3:00-4:00 in Room C202

Southfield Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Southfield)

• Tuesday October 14 - Let Me Google That
  3:00-4:00 in Room 212E

New ebooks available now

There are lots of new ebooks available through the OCC Libraries. Check out the details below on how our three main ebook collections continue to grow, or find out more about how to use ebooks at the OCC Libraries.

eBooks on EBSCOhost
The eBooks on EBSCOhost database contains the full-text of thousand of ebooks on just about any topic.  We added 169 new titles this summer. Visit our New Books guide to see the new ebooks, which are listed when available under each of the subject areas on the left side of the screen.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
The Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) provides searchable ebook versions of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources on a wide range of subjects, including arts & humanities, biography, business, health sciences, history, social sciences, and natural sciences.  This is a great resource for finding high quality reliable sources when beginning a research project.
Find out more about GVRL and see a list of the latest additions.

Books 24x7 ITPro Collection
The ITpro Collection at Books24x7 provides full-text ebooks and desktop videos on a wide variety of technology topics including networking, programming languages, desktop and office applications, the Web, computer hardware and software, databases and more. New titles are being added all the time. Find out more about the ITpro collection and see the latest titles.

Wednesday September 17th is Constitution Day!

The Orchard Ridge Campus King Library is a Federal Depository Library and provides free access to print and electronic documents created by the United States Government. While supplies last, the Orchard Ridge Library will be giving out free pencils and sticky note pads in honor of Constitution Day. Be sure to check out our display table featuring government publications and books about the United States Constitution.

Want to learn more?

• Read a transcript of the U.S. Constitution
• Learn more about the 39 delegates who signed the U.S. Constitution
• View a signed copy of the U.S. Constitution

Use the OCC Libraries Search Everything to locate books or articles related to U.S. Constitution, or take a look at the resources on the OCC Libraries Government Research Guide. For more information about accessing the Government Documents collection, visit the reference desk at any OCC campus library for assistance.

Finally, you might be interested in the Student Life sponsored Patriot Week events going on at the OCC campuses September 11-17.  See the flyer for more information.

Auburn Hills & Orchard Ridge libraries offering free Library Success Seminars in September

Drop in the Auburn Hills or Orchard Ridge libraries starting Monday September 8 for these free Library Success Seminars. These sessions cover a variety of topics to help you more successfully use the OCC Libraries. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars.


Auburn Hills Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Auburn Hills)

• Monday September 8 - What Can the Library Do For Me?
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday September 15 - Getting the Most out of the Library Catalog
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206
• Monday September 29 - Free Articles @ Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the Auburn Hills Library room D206

Orchard Ridge Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Orchard Ridge)

• Monday September 15 - Getting to Know Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday September 22 - The OCC Library Catalog
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday September 29 - Free Articles @ Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library

Royal Oak Campus
(see all Fall 2014 seminars for Royal Oak)

• Wednesday, Sept 24 - Help Me Find Books
  10:00-11:00 in Room C202

Library Intersession Hours and Updated Saturday Hours for the Fall

The OCC Libraries will be open for limited service during the intersession between semesters from August 20-27.  Normal hours resume on August 28, with all campus libraries closed on September 1 in observance of Labor Day.  See the Campus Library Hours & Contact page for more details.

Also please note that all OCC Libraries will be closed on Friday August 22 for a staff in-service. Students with registration holds for library fines may return materials to the campus business offices.  Other materials may be returned to campus book drops.

Finally, here are the updated Saturday hours for the Fall semester:

• Auburn Hills: 9am-1pm
• Highland Lakes: 9am-1pm
• Orchard Ridge: 10am-2pm
• Royal Oak: 10am-2pm

The OCC Libraries Can Help You Prepare for the Biology Proficiency Test.

If you are getting ready for the biology proficiency test, make sure you take advantage of the great resources available on the OCC Libraries Biology Research Guide, including information on preparing for the test, taking practice tests and a list of recommended study books available in the library.

More information on the biology proficiency test from the Biology Department...

Summertime and the Reading is Easy

Want a read for the beach, cabin, or backyard hammock?  Your OCC Libraries have lots of new titles to choose from!

Check out the OCC Libraries Browsing Collections for some great selections in popular fiction and non-fiction. Use your OCC Library Card Number to make an online request and have books sent to the campus library nearest you.

Newer titles in the OCC Browsing Collections include:

• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm by Mardi Jo Link (2014 Michigan Notable Book)
• Cross My Heart by James Patterson
• The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kid
• Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
• Missing You by Harlan Coben
• Never Go Back: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
• The River Swimmer by Jim Harrison (2014 Michigan Notable Book)
• Who Asked You by Terry McMillan

Happy Summer Reading!

Submitted by Beth Garnsey
Faculty Librarian
Highland Lakes Campus Library

New & Improved Michigan eLibrary Website Debuts June 16

On June 16, the Library of Michigan is debuting the new and improved Michigan eLibrary (MeL), Besides a new look and feel for the website, they have also introduced a discovery service that allows you to see results from across all of the MeL resources, including quick links to request books through MeLCat.

The new search box on the MeL homepage will find results from MeLCat, selected MeL databases, curricular content/websites from the Michigan Online Resources for Educators (M.O.R.E.), MeL gateway websites, and selected digital Michigan history projects, all in one search.

To try it out now, visit the MeL home page at http://mel.org/ and click the new MeL link at the top of the page.

More than 1,500 new films added to the OCC Libraries VAST collection

1,545 new films have recently been added to the OCC Libraries VAST: Academic Video Online collection.  Here are a few highlights:

• Steve Jobs: His Story
• The Out List featuring interviews with the most influential names in the LGBT community
• Developing Cultural Humility: Understanding How to Engage In Difficult Dialogues

Check out the thousands of titles available in music and performing arts, health sciences, education, and more at the VAST: Academic Video Online collection, or watch the OCC Libraries tutorial video on getting started with VAST.

Free Library Success Seminars at the Orchard Ridge Library

Drop in the Orchard Ridge Library for these free Library Success Seminars. These sessions cover a variety of topics related to student success, including library research and study skills. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars. Questions? Call (248) 522-3612

Orchard Ridge Campus
(see all Summer I 2014 seminars for Orchard Ridge)

• Monday May 12 - Getting to Know Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday May 19 - Choosing A Research Topic
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday June 2 - The OCC Library Catalog
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library
• Monday June 9 - Free Articles @ Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library

Featured Database: Naxos Music Library

The Naxos Music Library is the world´s largest online classical music library, with online streaming access to more than 96,000 CDs and almost 1.4 million tracks.  Hundreds of new CDs are added each month not only in classical, but jazz, world, and popular music as well.  The OCC Libraries also provide access to the Naxos Music Library Jazz database, with over 8,600 albums including the complete catalogs of prestigious jazz labels such as Blue Note Records, Fantasy Records, Warner Jazz, EMI, and more.
You can search the NML databases by composer, work, genre, or record label.  A sophisticated advanced search engine is also available.  In addition to the music, the NML provides selected composer biographies, a glossary of musical terms, selected work analyses, CD liner notes, and many other useful text resources.  Users can also sign up to login and create playlists for private use or to share.
Access the NML databases from any computer, anywhere, anytime. You can listen through the new and improved media player or via the mobile app available for Apple or Android devices. 

See our quick start video, or go to the Naxos Music Library or Naxos Jazz to listen now.

Upgrade your account soon to the 3.0 version of LearningExpress Library Job & Career Accelerator

The latest versions of LearningExpress Library and Job & Career Accelerator are now available.  The updated 3.0 versions have a great new look & feel and some additional functionality, but please be aware that if you are a currently registered user of version 2.0 that you will need to  establish a  new username & password to begin using the 3.0 version.  Also, your saved content will not transfer over to the new version.  The old versions of these databases will be available through June, but the OCC Library website links will be changed to 3.0 on May 1.

If you are a currently registered user of LearningExpress Library or Job & Career Accelerator, now is a good time to finish up any saved work in your account and establish a new account in version 3.0.

If you are new to LearningExpress Library and Job & Career Accelerator, please start working in version 3.0.  You can register for an account at either the LearningExpress Library or Job & Career Accelerator home pages by clicking the Register link at the top right of the screen.

Take a look at the brief video tutorials for LearningExpress Library or Job & Career Accelerator to help get you started. 

Also, see our previous Featured Database article on LearningExpress Library to learn more about what these databases have to offer

National Library Workers Day

To recognize the hard work, dedication and expertise of library workers, Tuesday April 15 is designated National Library Workers Day.  The next time you visit an OCC Library, please remember to say thanks to a library worker who went the extra mile to help you out of a jam or maybe just made your day a little easier by being ready to help when you need it.

April 13-19 is National Library Week.  Watch the OCC Facebook & Twitter feeds this week for daily library-themed posts about the OCC Libraries.

Human Library @ the Highland Lakes Student Center

Participants from the
2013 Human Library event

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be deaf?  What it is like to live with a mental illness?  What it is like to have survived cancer three times?  At the OCC Highland Lakes Campus Diversity Fair on Thursday April 10, the HL Campus Diversity Committee and OCC Libraries will host our sixth Human Library event that allows “readers” to checkout volunteer “books” who represent multiple areas of diversity.  Human Books represent a cross section of society that have been stereotyped.  “Books” are not asked to be experts, but instead asked to be themselves and tell their story in response to questions asked by the “Reader”.  This exercise allowed “Books” and “Readers” alike to meet people from other walks of life that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet.

The Human Library was started several years ago in Denmark to help break down barriers and end prejudice.  The idea was simple: if you meet people from other walks of life, people different than yourself, they become real and no longer belong to a faceless group.  Once people start talking and getting to know one another, it becomes harder to discriminate against others as we realize we are more similar than we are different.  For more information, please go to www.humanlibrary.org.

On Thursday April 10th, at the OCC Highland Lakes Campus Student Center from noon – 3pm, our Human Library will have 13 Human Book titles.  Please come and check them out.

Submitted by Allison McFadden-Keesling

Faculty Librarian
Highland Lakes Campus Library

Free Library Success Seminars at Royal Oak and Southfield in April

There are just a handful of free Library Success Seminars left this semester at Royal Oak and Southfield. These sessions cover a variety of topics related to library research. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars. See the Library Instruction page for more information about future seminars at all OCC campuses.

Royal Oak Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Royal Oak)

• Wednesday April 2 - Help Me Find Resume Writing Sources
  4:00-4:30 in Room C202
• Thursday April 10 - Help Me Discover Mel.org
  11:00-11:30 in Room C202

Southfield Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Southfield)

• Wednesday April 2 - Starting Your Library Research
  12:00-1:00 in ASC 212E
• Tuesday April 8 - Starting Your Library Research, Part 2
  5:00-6:00 in ASC 212E
• Wednesday April 9 - Effective Internet Searching
  12:00-1:00 in ASC 212E
• Wednesday April 16 - Effective Internet Searching, Part 2
  5:00-6:00 in ASC 212E

Featured Database - Biography In Context

Are you interested in learning more about people's lives? Has your instructor asked you to write a biography? Then take a look at Biography In Context, a library resource that's authoritative and updated daily. It lets you:

• Search for people by name, nationality, occupation, or date
• Find biographies of filmmakers, musicians, scientists, athletes, inventors, and politicians (among others)
• View biographies, videos, audio, images, and current news articles
• Use text-to-speech technology to have the biography read to you
• Share, email, print, translate, save, cite, or download the biography

You can get to this resource from the OCC Libraries homepage. Click the tab for Articles & Databases, choose All Databases, then scroll down to the B's.

Need help using this resource? Check out our YouTube video or ask a librarian for help.

Here are some biographies to get you started:

Frida Kahlo Ellen DeGeneres Janet Yellen Mitt Romney Chiwetel Ejiofor Harvey Milk Jimmy Fallon

Sherman Alexie Peyton Manning Ang Lee Steve McQueen Bono Johnny Appleseed Florence Nightingale

Submitted by Christine Malmsten
Faculty Librarian
Auburn Hills Campus Library

Celebrate Women's History Month

The OCC Womencenter and Libraries invite you to celebrate Women’s History Month through recognizing women who have made significant contributions to our world.

Please visit the OCC Women's History Month Blog and consider submitting a nomination recognizing an extraordinary woman who has made our world a better place through her contribution as an educator, scientist, head-of-state, politician, environmentalist, civil rights advocate and some other significant way.

All members of the OCC community – students, faculty, and staff – are encouraged to participate. Submitted nominations may cover the range of local-to-global and include individuals from any time period.

For more resources related to this initiative, take a look at the OCC Libraries Women in Literature, History, Current Events research guide.

Free Student Success Seminars in March at Orchard Ridge & Royal Oak Libraries

Library Student Success Seminars cover a variety of topics related to library research. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars. See the Library Instruction page for more information about future seminars at all OCC campuses.

Orchard Ridge Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Orchard Ridge)

• Monday March 3 - Google Scholar and Google Advanced Search
  12pm-12:30pm in King Library: Tips to enhance and strengthen your search experience.
• Monday March 10 - Evaluating Web Pages
  12pm-12:30pm in King Library: Learn techniques to determine if a web site has reliable information.
• Monday March 17 - Special Seminar:  Pinpointing Keywords For More Relevant Search Results
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library: Get tips on how to choose relevant search keywords.

Royal Oak Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Royal Oak)

• Wednesday March 5 - Help Me Use The Library Catalog
  6:00-6:30 in Room C202
• Thursday March 6 - Help Me Find Primary Sources
  10:00-10:30 in Room C202
• Monday March 10 - Help Me Find "Good" Websites
  6:00-6:30 in Room C202
• Tuesday March 25 - Help Me Narrow A Topic
  11:00-11:30 in Room C202

Featured Database - Pro/Con Articles

A good persuasive or argumentative paper should help your audience consider different viewpoints on an issue. You will need to find articles and other information to support your position.  Searching Google will return hundreds of hits, but it may be difficult to determine credibility, especially if the topic is current or controversial. 

Begin your research on the Find Articles/Databases tab in the center of the library home page and select Pro/Con Databases. These tools will lead you to thousands of reliable sources and can help you select or refine a topic, suggest additional key words or phrases, and related topics.

CQ Researcher: Features a chronology, a current assessment, pro/con statements from opposing positions, and a list of key sources.

Opposing Viewpoints In Context:  Information and opinions featuring viewpoint articles, magazines, journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, media, and websites.
Points of View: Provides an overview, point (argument), and counterpoint (opposing argument), supported with articles from periodicals, media transcripts, primary source documents, and videos.

You may also want to try the Databases by Subject category. For example: Newspapers may be helpful for topics that have a local or regional focus; or Sciences for an issue concerning the environment.

General Search Tips: 

• Don’t use “pro” or “con” in your search unless they are commonly used in connection with your issue (example: pro-choice movement; pro-gun lobbyists).
• Read abstracts, which will provide you with a summary of the article and help you determine if it is useful. 
• Don't look at articles that only represent “your side”. An opposing viewpoint can contain valuable information to validate your position.

Submitted by Darlene Johnson-Bignotti
Faculty Librarian
Royal Oak Campus Library

Celebrate Black History Month Through Reading

OCC Libraries in partnership with The OCC Diversity Committees are proud to participate in the 25th National African American Read-In the week of February 3-5, 2014.

OCC Students and employees are invited to hear readings or read a brief passage aloud from books written by African American authors. The goal of this event is to celebrate Black History Month and bring awareness about the contributions African Americans have made to the literary world. For more times information, contact your campus OCC Library or check out our flier.

Find out more about the 25th National African American Read-in.

Winter 2014 Library Success Seminars Are Starting Up

The Winter 2014 Library Success Seminars are are starting up again this semester. These sessions cover a variety of topics related to library research. Ask your instructor about extra credit for attending any of these seminars. See the Library Instruction page for more information about future seminars at all OCC campuses.

Orchard Ridge Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Orchard Ridge)

• Monday January 27 - Getting To Know Your OCC Library
  12pm-12:30pm in King Library: Learn about the library, our web page, how to get research help, and more!
• Monday February 3 - The OCC Library Catalog
  12pm-12:30pm in King Library: We’ve made changes to our catalog! Learn how to navigate your way around.
• Monday February 10 - Free Articles @ Your OCC Library
  12pm-12:30pm in King Library: Learn how to search for magazine, journal, and newspaper articles.
• Monday February 17 - U.S. Government Resources @ Your OCC Library
  12:00-12:30 in the King Library

Royal Oak Campus
(see all Winter 2014 seminars for Royal Oak)

• Monday February 10 - Help Me Get To Know The Library
  4:00-4:30 in Room C202
• Tuesday February 18 - Help Me Find Pro-Con Articles
  12:00-12:30 in Room C202

Search Everything is here!

Ever wish you could quickly find books, articles, and more with just one search?

With Search Everything, now you can!

It is a seamless way to find almost anything at the OCC Libraries in one search.

What can it search at the same time? 
Online and print materials, including:

• Books, videos and other materials available for checkout in the OCC Library Catalog;
• Online full-text magazine, newspaper, and journal articles from more than 30 databases;
• Ebooks, streaming videos, images, and more.

So, I’m ready.  What do I do?

On the OCC Libraries home page in the Search Everything tab, add your search words into the search box. On the next screen, select from as many options on the left side as you like to hone your results.   Sample choices for limiters are by format, date, related subjects, OCC location, publication name, or database. 

 

The best time to use Search Everything is if

• You don’t know where to start your research.
• You want to go beyond results from your searches in other databases or the Library Catalog.
• You would like to see results sorted by relevancy rather than date. 
• You would like to see an overview of what’s available at OCC.
• You would like to search multiple databases at once.

When NOT to use Search Everything

• You need more precise results from subject headings in the Library Catalog or databases.
• You are looking for more focused or scholarly articles on a topic covered in a specialized database, such as CINAHL (Nursing), PsycARTICLES (Psychology), or ERIC (Education).
• If you are looking for a specific book or article.  The Library Catalog is best if you know the book you want, and the OCC Library Journals List is best to locate a known article.

Hey, I really liked the old Library Catalog! 
Not to worry! The classic Find Books/Library Catalog has not gone away! 

And separate databases can still be searched from the Find Articles/Databases page. 

How can I learn more?  
View a brief demo video on how to get started

Take it on a spin today!   

by Ann Walaskay

New Books at the OCC LIbraries

Check out some of the new books recently added to the Oakland Community College Libraries collection.