OCC Library YouTube Channel for How-To Videos

The Library now has a YouTube Channel.

It's a great place to get step-by-step instructions for getting started or refreshing your knowledge for how to search the library.

Some videos available now include: 

• What are Keywords? 
• Searching for Books at OCC Library
  
• Using Books for College Research
• Primary v. Secondary Sources 

and more!  

Tools to Help You Find Articles

 The OCC Library has three new tools to assist you in finding scholarly articles more easily!  

LibKey

LibKey lets you search our articles using a DOI or PMID.  What does this mean for you? If you have a citation of an article you want to read, you can use the DOI or PMID that is listed in the citation to find whether the OCC Library has access to the article and if so, what database it is located in and a direct link to the article.

LibKey Nomad

LibKey Nomad takes connecting to articles available through the OCC Library even more simple. LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that connects you to articles from websites like Wikipedia, PubMed, and publishers websites. It will help you find whether OCC Library has the article and if so, will like you to the article.

The browser extension is for Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi browsers.  

The library subscribes to this service and the browser extension is safe to download. 

Browzine

Browzine gives you a whole new way to search for journals!  If you want to discover...or browse...for journals within a specific subject area, Browzine is a great way to do that.  Browzine then directly links to the articles.  

Note: this resource does not search all periodicals within the OCC Library.  It highlights our scholarly journals in particular.  

Learn More about the Crisis in Ukraine

The OCC Librarians have created a resource guide that provides select resources on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine as well as provides places to get current and background information on the countries. 

Get Started Using the Library in Spring Semester

 

Wishing you a great start to the Spring Semester! 

• The library building is closed until Monday, February 14th. 
• Computer and device pickup and returns are available in the Library Lobby, Monday-Friday 10am - 1pm (starting Monday, Jan. 31st)

While we are teaching and learning remotely, we have many resources and services available to help you succeed in your classes.  We hope to see you soon!

Library Online Chat hours: 

Monday - Thursday: 8am - 8:00pm

Friday: 8am - 3:00pm

Saturday:  10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Some key resources include: 

• Ebook Collection:  You can search for e-books in our library catalog.  There are thousands of ebooks available through the library. You can download sections of books, highlight & annotate, and access citation information for the book. 
• Print Books: Our physical collection are available to you! Start searching the library resources in OCC Discovery. 
• Magazine, Newspaper, & Journal Articles: Use the Databases to find magazine, newspaper, and journal articles. Get started by going to Databases A-Z, and selecting a database by the subject area you need (or pick one of our favorite general databases, like Ebsco Power Search or ProQuest Central)
• Streaming Videos: The OCC Library has thousands of streaming films, documentaries, and newsreels.  Get started by searching in Films on Demand or Kanopy Streaming Video. 
• Library Workshops: Throughout the Fall semester online library workshops are available to learn the basics of using the library.  Come with your questions or just to learn more about how to conduct library research. Sign up online! 
• Get Help: Librarians are available online for asking questions via chat (icon in lower right hand corner) or research appointments. 
• Follow us on Instagram: Find us at @occ_library for info on the library, resources, and little bits of motivation. 

NEW! Feature Films for Education

 The Library is now offering Feature Films for Education! 

This collection includes hundreds of Hollywood films that can be used for instruction or just for fun. There are wide range of titles from a range of genres: action, comedies, fantasy, animation, documentaries, and more.

To access the database, go to the Databases A - Z list, then click on F in the alpha list OR use the Database Type dropdown and select Multimedia.  

Happy viewing! 

Welcome to Spring 2021!

While the Library is physically closed, we have many resources and services available to help you succeed in your classes.  We hope to see you online! 

Library Online Chat hours are (Feb. 1 - May 29): 

Monday - Thursday: 8am - 9:00pm

Friday: 8am - 3:00pm

Saturday:  10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Some key resources include: 

• Ebook Collection:  You can search for e-books in our library catalog.  There are thousands of ebooks available through the library. You can download sections of books, highlight & annotate, and access citation information for the book. 
• Print Books & DVDs - Curbside Pick Up: Our physical collection is still available to you! Curbside pickup is now available Monday-Thursday from 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M.  Sign into OCC Discovery to locate an item and request it. Staff will check items out to you upon pickup.  The pickup location is located behind the library, and the usual 10 item limit policy applies.  For information on how request a book, please contact the librarian through chat or click on the "help" button in Discovery.
• Magazine, Newspaper, & Journal Articles: Use the Databases to find magazine, newspaper, and journal articles. Get started by going to Databases A-Z, and selecting a database by the subject area you need (or pick one of our favorite general databases, like Ebsco Power Search or ProQuest Central)
• Streaming Videos: The OCC Library has thousands of streaming films, documentaries, and newsreels.  Get started by searching in Films on Demand or Kanopy Streaming Video. 
• Library Workshops: Throughout the Fall semester 13 online library workshops are available to learn the basics of using the library.  Come with your questions or just to learn more about how to conduct library research. Sign up here! 
• Get Help: Librarians are available online for asking questions via chat (icon in lower right hand corner) or research appointments. 
• Follow us on Instagram: Find us at @occ_library for info on the library, resources, and little bits of motivation. 

Welcome to Fall 2020

Wishing you a great start to the Fall Semester! 

While the Library is physically closed, we have many resources and services available to help you succeed in your classes.  We hope to see you online! 

Library Online Chat hours are (Aug. 24 - Dec. 12): 

Monday - Thursday: 8am - 9:00pm

Friday: 8am - 3:00pm

Saturday:  10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Some key resources include: 

• Ebook Collection:  You can search for e-books in our library catalog.  There are thousands of ebooks available through the library. You can download sections of books, highlight & annotate, and access citation information for the book. 
• Print Books - Curbside Pick Up: Our physical collection is still available to you! Curbside pickup is now available Monday-Thursday from 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M.  Sign into OCC Discovery to locate an item and request it. Staff will check items out to you upon pickup.  The pickup location is located behind the library, and the usual 10 item limit policy applies.  For information on how request a book, please contact the librarian through chat or click on the "help" button in Discovery.
• Magazine, Newspaper, & Journal Articles: Use the Databases to find magazine, newspaper, and journal articles. Get started by going to Databases A-Z, and selecting a database by the subject area you need (or pick one of our favorite general databases, like Ebsco Power Search or ProQuest Central)
• Streaming Videos: The OCC Library has thousands of streaming films, documentaries, and newsreels.  Get started by searching in Films on Demand or Kanopy Streaming Video. 
• Library Workshops: Throughout the Fall semester 12 online library workshops are available to learn the basics of using the library.  Come with your questions or just to learn more about how to conduct library research. 
• Get Help: Librarians are available online for asking questions via chat (icon in lower right hand corner) or research appointments. 
• Follow us on Instagram: Find us at @occ_library for info on the library, resources, and little bits of motivation. 

ProQuest Central is Now Available at OCC Library

ProQuest Central is now available through the OCC Library!  As a multi-disciplinary database, it is a good place to start your research. Proquest Central has an ample amount of articles for most subjects. This database mostly has articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals.  Start searching today!

Upcoming Online Library Workshops

There are still a handful of library workshops being offered this semester.  Now you can attend in the comfort of your own home through Zoom!

Upcoming dates:

• Tuesday, Apr. 7, 5:00-6:00pm 
• Wednesday, Apr. 8, 3:00-4:00pm 
• Saturday, Apr. 11, 11:00am-12:00pm 
• Tuesday, Apr. 14, 5:00-6:00pm 
• Thursday, Apr. 23, 3:00-4:00pm 
• Tuesday, Apr. 28, 11:00am-12:00pm 
• Monday, May 4, 6:00-7:00pm

To attend a workshop, please select the date/time you would like to attend and sign up at least 1 hour before the workshop. The day of the workshop, you will receive a reminder email including a link to the Zoom session. If you would like to receive extra credit, please include your instructor's name in the sign up form. We will notify your instructor that you attended the workshop.

Need Help? Chat with a Librarian

While the library remains closed, the OCC Librarians are here to help you! 

A librarian is available through chat (see the icon in the lower right hand corner of the library webpage).  We have the capability to screen share and video conference through Zoom with you, if you have a more in depth question.  It can be a simple question or a robust research question to help you find ebooks and electronic resources to use in your upcoming papers or projects. 

Chat with a Librarian Hours: 

Monday - Thursday:  8am - 9pm
Friday: 8am - 3pm
Saturday: 10am - 3pm

Getting Started with Using the Library (During COVID-19)

Have your classes gone online? Are you unsure how to get started searching for resources in the library? 

Then this Getting Started guide is for you.  

Students

View videos on how to search for books, articles, videos, and market research.  There are also recommendations for databases in which to search, and citing in MLA style. 

Faculty

Are you interested in having a library lecture for your classes, but you've moved your classes online?  There are options for you.  We offer online lectures, librarians being embedded in Canvas courses, or you can simply introduce this guide to your students along with how to access the chat with a librarian feature.  See the guide for more information.  

Using the New Library Search Tool

Have you used OCC Discovery yet? 

The new OCC Discovery search tool has been launched for over a month now.  Have you given it a try yet?  The goal of this blog is to highlight some of the features that may be helpful to you in your searches.

New Navigation Links on the Website

One of updates you may have noticed is the links on the left hand navigation have changed.  The key search options are: Search the Library and Databases A-Z. 

Search the Library 

The Search the Library link will take you into OCC Discovery.  From here you can search for:

• Textbooks for your courses
• Print books and e-books
• Films and documentaries
• and many of the library's subscriptions to newspapers, magazine, and journal articles.  

While this sounds like a one-stop shop, in order to get to the results you want it is essential to use the filters available to help you narrow your search.  (If you have conducted a search, you may have received hundreds of thousands. . . or even millions of results!) These filters or facets can dramatically help in finding the resources you need.   Let's look four of these way to filter just a little more.  (See the number on the image to the right which corresponds with the description below)  

Let's say you are looking for books containing monologues, you do a search, and you receive results for articles, books, films, and more.  

1. At the top of the screen, the number of results you have received for your search appears.  While the number is not necessarily important, not many of us will look through 30,000 results to find what we want.  (The example to the right shows over 50,000 results.) The next three ways to filter can help reduce that number.
   
2. You have the option to search: Everything, Articles, Library Catalog, or Textbooks.  Choosing one of these, besides Everything, is a great way to get started narrowing.  Everything: searches everything in Discovery. Articles: searches the articles and book chapters from our database subscriptions (so you will get more than just articles).  Library Catalog: searches books (print and electronic) and films.  Lastly, Textbooks searches only those items on reserve for your courses (textbooks, bone boxes, etc.)
   
3. The Availability option can also help you narrow.  Those that are particularly helpful are Peer-reviewed Journals (identifies items that are peer-reviewed) and Held by library (identifies items that are physically within the library).
   
4. Resource Type can very quickly limit your results to the type of resource you are looking for.  In the example above, the student needed a monologue book.  By selecting Books from the resource type, only books will appear in the results list.    

Databases A-Z

The other new link is Databases A-Z.  

This takes you to a list of all the databases (or electronic resources) available through the OCC Library.  This is a phenomenal resource.  

If you know the name of the database you want (i.e. Films on Demand), you can go directly to the letter the title begins with.  Or if you aren't sure which database you want, but you know the subject (i.e. psychology, history, business), you can select that from the drop down options.  Additionally, there are links to the most popular databases to get you quickly to the most used databases. 

Interested in learning more about the library? Attend one of the library workshops! No reservations needed! 

A new way to search the Library is coming in January!

The OCC Library is implementing a new library catalog and search tool over the Winter Break.  It allows you to search print and e-books, streaming films, videos, articles, and electronic resources in one place.

When searching in OCC Discovery you are searching:

• Books, DVDs, and other physical items found in the Library
• Much of the library's online journal, magazine, and newspaper content
• Streaming films and documentaries

What else can I do with OCC Discovery?

• Set up your own account with My Account.
• Create favorites lists

Interested in more information?

·      Visit the OCC Discovery guide

Students:

·      Attend a library workshop during the Spring semester (Dates are coming soon!)

·      Stop by or call the Reference Desk to talk to a librarian to learn more

Faculty:

·      Schedule a library lecture during Intersession or Spring to introduce your students to the new search interface

·      Set up a one-on-one meeting with a librarian or call the Reference Desk at (714) 432-0202 to learn more.