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Guide for finding sources at the George T. Potter Library
I. Library Homepage: http://library.ramapo.edu
- Provides access to the catalog (OPAC), databases, interlibrary loan forms, etc.
II. Finding Books at the Potter Library
- Catalog: use this to find books, journal titles NOT ARTICLES, government documents, reserve items, music,and movies owned by the Library. You may limit a search by language, year(s) of publication, type of material, etc. This may take a few seconds to load.
- Search the catalog using Keywords to find material
- For example: search for media body image or american civil war to locate a broad range of material and look for ideas for your project
- Use the Related Records link in the record to located the subject headings and find more topic specific material
Tips
- Start with broad searches. It is much easier to discard too much rather than start with too little.
- If you don't know the Subject Heading, use the Related Records tab located on the top of a catalog record to get to the headings. This will help you focus in on more relevant material.
- Can "virtually" browse the shelves by clicking on the call number in a record.
III. Reference Material
- The reference stacks are located on the 3rd floor (this is also the library's entrance).
- Some useful materials for your projects:
| New Slavery | Ref H31.C76 2000 |
| Eating Disorders | Ref H31.C754.E14 |
| Encyclopedia of the American Civil War | Ref E468.E53 2000 |
| Encyclopedia of World War II | Ref D740.E516 2005 |
Tips
- Use reference books to browse for project ideas and to get started on your research.
- Use the Bibliographies at the end of encyclopedia entries to find more information on your topic.
IV. Electronic Resources
- Some useful Databases for your projects:
| Academic Search Premier | A multidisciplinary database that contains many full-text articles. May also limit to scholary (peer-reviewed) journals. |
| Communication and Mass Media Complete | Quality research solution in areas related to communication and mass media. This can be search with Academic Search Premier. |
| Historical NY Times | full-text of the entire NY Times from 1851-2002 |
| America: History and Life | History of the United States and Canada from pre-history to the present. Links to JSTOR full-text and use Primary Catalog link to search our library holdings. |
| Historical Abstracts | History of the world from 1450 to present. Links to JSTOR full-text and use Primary Catalog to search our library holdings. |
(Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Refereed articles have been reviewed by a selected panel of experts in the discipline covered by that journal).
Tips
- Always switch to the Advance Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
- Always use Boolean Operators-AND, OR, NOT when running a search. For Example: media and "eating disorders" and women
- Always check your Spelling if the database results are Zero.
- Journal Finder: this provides information regarding if a journal is available full-text online, in print in the library, or available on microfilm.
- Interlibrary Loan: allows studens to borrow a book or article that the Potter library does not own. There is a link from the Journal Finder page.
Both of these links can be found under QUICK LINKS on the library's homepage.
V. Bibliographies
- Use the Citing Websites and Print Sources for citation style guidance.
VI. Using Web Sources
Use Evaluating Websites to determine if the site is authoritative enough to use in your paper.
Need more help? Visit or call the Reference Desk: 201.684.7574 Use QandA NJ a 24/7 virtual chat with a reference librarian.