Check each of the following sources for valuable information about a career:

Books: Check electronic catalog or browse the career shelf (labels start with CR-R) for titles about specific occupations. If the copyright date is more than five years ago, use Occupational Outlook Handbook in print or on the Internet for current salary and job outlook information. If more than one student is doing a particular career, books may have to be reserved. Ask a librarian if you would like to request materials from other libraries.

Reference Books: The Encyclopedia of Careers is an excellent source of general information about almost every career. For the most current information, use this year’s edition of Occupational Outlook Handbook. For a list of jobs that require licenses or certification, check Licensed, Certified, and Registered Occupations in New Hampshire.

Magazines: EBSCO is a magazine database of 1,900 titles available both on campus and at remote terminals via a password. Most articles are full-text and can be printed or e-mailed. If an article is not available full-text from the database or the library’s collection, the staff will try to get it from the State Library by fax or interlibrary loan. The library’s list of magazine subscriptions is available at all computer terminals and is posted by the stand-up computers.

Web Sources: Several print sources are also available on the Web such as Occupational Outlook Handbook and Licensed, Certified and Registered Occupations in New Hampshire. Check in these two sites as well: Jobstar-Specific Career Information and College Board Career Online. When searching the Internet, be sure to use a search engine or metasearch engine such as www.google.com or www.metacrawler.com. . Both index a large percentage of the web and will select the most relevant sites for you.

Associations: Web sites for associations connected to various careers can also be valuable sources of information. Some may have an e-mail address or an 800 number for more information.

ISSUES

Find the topic: If you need help finding a topic, look at these materials and discuss your ideas with your teacher:

·        Opposing Viewpoints series in print: A list of books in this series is available at the Main Desk. Each book focuses on a single subject and presents differing positions on topics within the main subject. The library subscribes to Opposing Viewpoints Online as well and can be searched by topic.

·        Taking Sides: This book series is in Reference and consists of pro and con essays on a wide range of topics. The index volume lists all the topics included in each volume.

·        CQ Researcher is another online database that focuses on current social issues and can be searched by subject. A single issue is thoroughly investigated in each digest.

Begin the search: Check each of the following sources for information about your topic:

·        Reference Area: Reference contains many specialized sources of concise information that can provide excellent information, such as Violent Children, and A New View Almanac.

·        Electronic Card Catalog: Search for library books focusing on the most current materials available. If you do not find enough books or if they are already checked out, ask a staff member to help you. Check the Reference area for materials as well. Reference books give a thorough overview of subjects and also lead you to other sources or connected topics.

·        Magazines: Search in SIRS first, then EBSCO for articles on your subject. All these databases provide many full text articles. If only the abstract appears in EBSCO, check the library’s magazine list to see if the library subscribes to the magazine. If you are not successful with your searches, speak to a librarian. She/he will have additional resources and sources of information.

·        Vertical File Folders: Files on various contemporary and historical topics contain newspaper, magazine and other articles and materials that can provide a wealth of background information. Although these files do not circulate, they can be photocopied or used in the library.