You can also find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles in databases. Below you will see several that are good bets for researching controversial topics.
To find books in the Library, use OneSearch (the big search box on the Library homepage). Find brief instructions at the bottom left of this page, or click here for more detailed instructions.
If you find a book in OneSearch that you want to use, make sure the Location is "Valley." Write down the Status and Call Number. Bring that information to the Reference Desk, and the librarian there will help you get the book.
Click below to learn how to find a book in the Library using the Call Number.
Wikipedia is not allowed as a source for most classes. Wikipedia is not a reliable source because we don't know anything about the authors or their qualifications. But what if you need a source for background information, or an overview of a topic?
The Library has many encyclopedias that you CAN use for college. Some of them are books in the Library building, and some are online on the Library website. Like Wikipedia (which is a type of encyclopedia), you do not have to be an expert to understand the language, and the information is organized in a way that's easy to read quickly. There are usually links or citations to find more information about that subject.
Below are some examples of encyclopedias we have as books in the Library building, or ebooks on the Library website. To find a different encyclopedia on your topic, ask a librarian at the Reference Desk or in the chat box on the Library website.
The Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate Change
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Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change
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The Thinking Person's Guide to Climate Change
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The Handbook of Environmental Health
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Encyclopedia of Environmental Science
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Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues
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The set contains 772 alphabetically arranged articles. They cover a wide variety of topics, including endangered animal species, air pollution, national parks, environmental legislation, oil spills, alternative energy sources, and global climate change. In recognition of the fact that people spend an overwhelming proportion of their time in human-made environments, essays also cover such topics as sick building syndrome, noise pollution, smog, and urban planning.
