Quick start to the Library March 2011

1. Quick start to the
Library
March 2011
Clare Humphries
Information specialist

2. Why are you here?
• So we can say Welcome!
• To meet your Information Emma Cathy
Specialist
• For a brief introduction to the
services we offer you
• Discuss the different types of Clare Heather
information available
• and when it is appropriate to
use them
• Find out what happens next
Sarah Morag

3. BlackBoard
• Additional information on your course BlackBoard
• http://bb.cranfield.ac.uk – log in with your network
username and password
• ‘Library resources’ link

4. What you can expect
from us
• Much more than just books!
• An information specialist to
help you use the Library
• We will always be
approachable and friendly
• Individual support when you
ask for it

5. Library Essentials
Your really useful guide to
getting started using the
Library.
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/library/cranfield/
documents/library%20essentials.pdf

12. Studying in the library

13. The Library Catalogue:
a good place to start
looking
• Check availability of recommended textbooks
• e.g. Raymer’s ‘Aircraft design: a conceptual approach’
• The classmark of a book e.g. 629.7.016 RAY tells
you where to find it on the shelf
• ‘Catalogue-only’ PCs available next to the Issue Desk
• If you have an iPhone you can search it and manage
your account using the ‘BookMyne’ app
• http://www.sirsidynix.com/iphone/apps/bookmyne/

14. Reservations and recalls
IMPORTANT!
• You can borrow most library books, theses and reports for
6 weeks
• If you need to borrow a book that somebody has already
borrowed you can place a reservation for it
• We will ask the borrower to return the book early (recall)
so that you don’t have to wait too long
Remember…..
• If you have a book that somebody reserves, we will ask
you to return it sooner than you expect!
• We will contact you on your Cranfield email address
The good news…..
• We do not charge fines if you bring your books back late!

15. What we ask of
you……
• Help us to provide a consistent service by abiding by our
rules, which are…
• Return recalled items when we ask for them
• Look after books you have borrowed – you are
responsible for them until they are returned
• Use your mobile phone for anything but talking!
• Make or receive calls outside
• Put it on silent
• Keep noise levels to a minimum, including Skype
calls!
• Keep food and drink in the foyer

16. Information – there’s a
lot of it out there!
• We are your guides
• It is our job to give
you the skills you
need to
• Search for information
• Find it
• Evaluate it
• Access it
• It is up to you how you
use the information!

17. Finding information
about electric cars
• Lots of different kinds of information are available:
• Articles from academic journals
• Textbooks
• Articles from trade journals and special interest
publications
• News articles from the Internet, e.g. the BBC web site
• Product adverts
• Web sites of campaign groups

18. Articles from academic
journals
• Original research
• Specific
• Peer-reviewed
• Very trustworthy
• Refers to the work
of others
• Published
regularly - current
• Volume and
Van Vliet, O. et al, (2011). Energy use, cost and CO2
issue emissions of electric cars. Journal of Power Sources 196 (4),
pp 2298-2310.

19. Books
• Quite general
• Bring together and
present what is known
and accepted in a
subject area
• Very good for
background information
• Is the publisher
trustworthy?
Westbrook, M. H. (2001). The electric car :
• Can take a long time to development and future of battery, hybrid
and fuel-cell cars. IEE and SAE, London.
write and be published

20. Trade magazine article
• More general, but
engineering based
• Not peer reviewed
• May cite limited
references
• Good introduction to
subject
• May be biased
Vasilash, G. (2010). Electric cars, streetcars and dead horses.
Automotive Design and Production, Nov-Dec 2010.

21. News report from the
Web
• Can be quite
general
• Current (check the
date!)
• Usually written by a
non-expert
• Often report on
original research
• Is it trustworthy? BBC (2011). Electric cars not accessible 'in next
five years. Available from:
Check the source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12124895.
Date of access: 8th March 2011.

22. Product advert
• Written by marketing
department
• May provide useful
information
• (Probably) Biased!
• UK Advertising
Codes “legal, decent,
honest and truthful”
Nissan (2011). Nissan LEAF advert. Available from:
http://www.nissan.co.uk/#vehicles/electricvehicles/leaf/ca
r-of-the-year. Date of access 8th March 2011.

23. Special interest groups
• Usually written by non-
experts
• Could be biased,
unreliable or vague
• Present their own point
of view
• How old is the
information? Can you
tell?
• If you trust the site, it
could provide useful
ElectricCarSite (2008). Electric cars in the UK. Available
information from: http://www.electriccarsite.co.uk/. Date of access
8th March 2011.

24. What to use when….
• If you need:
• Information on a specific product – company website
• Current trends in a technology – news web sites and
trade magazines
• Debate and opinion – special interest group web
sites and trade magazines
• General introduction/background information –
books
• Academic research – journal articles/conference
papers

25. What about Wikipedia?
• You must not refer to
Wikipedia articles in
your work
• You cannot see who
has contributed to the
articles
• No guarantee of
quality
• BUT Wikipedia articles
may provide links to
Wikipedia (2011). Nissan Leaf. Available from:
useful references http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Leaf. Date of access
8th March 2011.

26. Did you notice…..?
• Every source we have talked about had a full
bibliographic reference on the slide?
• Van Vliet, O. et al, (2011). Energy use, cost and CO2 emissions
of electric cars. Journal of Power Sources 196 (4), pp 2298-
2310.
• You will also have to write a full reference for all the
sources that you use information from in your work
• You will have more training on this later

27. What happens next?
• Discovering quality information
• How to use our Library resources to find the academic
information you will need
• Referencing and avoiding plagiarism
• RefWorks
• Individual support throughout your course - when you
ask for it!
• ‘Like’ our Library Facebook page
• http://www.facebook.com/cranfieldlibrary
• Follow us on Twitter: KNL_MIRC

28. Any questions?