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Report Writing At Its Best! |
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The card catalog is an alphabetical collection of cards, each listing the subject, title, author, publisher, description, identification number (ISBN), and call number of books in the library. Note: Cards may be filed in drawers or on a computer. There are three types
of cards in the card catalog.
Follow the directions below
to learn how find resources using the card catalog.
Subject Cards are organized alphabetically. 1. Find the Subject Card
Catalog.
(See diagram for information location.)
Title Cards are organized alphabetically. Titles beginning with words like "A", "An", or "The" are filed according to the next significant word. 1. Find the Title Card Catalog. 3. Note how the location of the information on the card has changed. (See diagram for information location.)
Author Cards are organized alphabetically according to the author's (or editor's) last name. 1. Find the Author Card Catalog. 3. Count the number of books written by this author that are located in the library. (See diagram for information location.)
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| Once you have identified a
book in the card catalog, the search begins!
Remember, you will need to write down the important information from the card catalog, which includes the book's:
Books are categorized in several different ways. In the library, you will find groups of fiction, nonfiction, biographical, and picture books, each in a separate area. Each group is also shelved in a unique way. Follow the directions below
to learn how to find a book in each of these areas of your library.
Nonfiction books are those that provide factual information. Nonfiction books are organized using the Dewey Decimal System. Their call numbers begin with a set of numbers and are sometimes followed by a set of letters. The set of books below is shelved
according to
1. Go to the card catalog in
your library.
Fiction books are those that tell nonfactual stories such as novels and chapter books. Fiction books are organized using only letters. They are arranged alphabetically according to the author's last name. If an author has written several books, then the books are organized secondarily by the title. You will notice that both the cards and the books are labeled with "Fic" to show they are fiction books. The set of fiction books below
is shelved according to
1. Go to the card catalog in
your library.
Biographical books are those that tell about the lives of individual people. Biographical books are organized using only letters. The are arranged alphabetically according to the last name of the person they are written about. The set of biographical books
below is shelved according to
1. Go to the card catalog in
your library.
Picture books are those that have stories accompanied by illustrations. Picture books are organized using only letters. They are arranged alphabetically according to the author's last name. If an author has written several books, then the books are organized secondarily by the title. You will notice that both the cards and the books are labeled with "Pic" to show they are picture books. The set of picture books below
is shelved according to
1. Go to the card catalog in
your library.
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A Quick Reference Guide |
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In addition to topic-specific books, the library contains several other types of resources to assist in your research. Each type of resource offers a unique approach to the presentation of information.
Magazines can be a tremendous source of information. News, opinion-based articles, current events, advertisements, and factual information pieces are published in magazines. They often include vibrant photographs, as well, which add a new dimension to the research process. The set of magazine titles
below shows just some that you might be able to find in your library. There
are hundreds, even thousands, of other magazines that you might find interesting
and useful.
With so many magazines to look through, the task could potentially be overwhelming. Some magazines, though, publish an index that can be used like the card catalog for books. (See diagram for information location.)
National Geographic Magazine Index. 2. Look up the subject "Egypt". "Egypt" and "Egypt, Ancient". 4. Count the number of entries under each heading. 5. Write down the title, the author, the month, the year, and the page numbers of an article you would like to read. 6. Find the magazine that contains the selected article. Note:The identification structure
for magazines is slightly different from other resources. Books are identified
with an ISBN code, which can be found on the book and in the card catalog.
Magazines, on the other hand, are identified using volume and issue numbers
as well as the date of circulation. These aspects of a magazine are
important when seeking out the location of bound magazines and when documenting
your resources.
Encyclopedias offer
a wealth of information at your fingertips. These collections of books,
each known as a volume, cover a wide array of topics. Topics are
often cross-referenced to encourage further investigation.
Encyclopedias, as with many
other reference materials and organizational systems, organize subject
matter alphabetically, both in the volume and in the index. Information
can be easily accessed by using the encyclopedia's index.
1. Go to the library and find
an encyclopedia index.
It is important to note that
some subjects are categorized under alternative headings and may not be
in the volume that initally comes to mind. Cross-referencing may take place
at the end of the actual encyclopedic article or in the "See also" portion
of the index entry. For example, at the end of the entry cited above,
"England" is cross-referenced as follows "English . . . and Great Britain
in this index, and the list of Related Articles in the England article".
In addition to encyclopedias, there is a multitude of other reference materials found in the library. These fact-filled books offer accurate and fairly current information, each with a slightly different purpose. Below
is a list of reference titles you may find in your library.
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A Quick Reference Guide |
To jump back to one of the
topics covered in this section,
"Resources Available", simply
click on the appropriate link below:
| Resources
Available
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Page created by Leslee Moyse and the Ormondale third grade team.
