May 18, 2011 10:22 AM |
3
comments
This post comes from Melissa, a librarian here at Brooklyn Public Library.
I have this friend who, among other pursuits, is a writer. When she needs to do research for an article or other work, she's dependent on free online content and public library resources. Yes, we have books on our shelves, and can even get my friend needed titles that we don't own via interlibrary loan. Let's also assume that she can navigate effectively around the internet.
But I would also urge her to take a look at our latest video tutorial to see how useful JSTOR can be:
Despite the obvious benefits of Google and library books, there's still a big category of content that my friend could miss. How will she be able to get to academic explorations of the incarceration of women? Where could she find in-depth analysis of welfare reform and the feminization of poverty? What if she needs some scholarly context for her work with community projects on the Lower East Side?
Perhaps these sorts of situations sound familiar to you? Well, in addition to the newspaper and magazine articles, encyclopedias, test preparation materials and other tools that are covered in BPL's digital resources, we also have subscriptions of a more scholarly nature. One of these is JSTOR, a database that indexes over a thousand academic journals and includes articles, images, book reviews and other content.
Although most of BPL's subscription databases are available remotely, the license we have with JSTOR allows for access only from within Central Library. In order to use it you need to plan ahead and come in when we're open.
But it's not so bad! Take the 2/3 train or get on the B41 bus and disembark by the plaza. And if you bike, your reward for your research jaunt can be a leisurely ride through an increasingly verdant Prospect Park.
