I’m a librarian. My job is to help people find the resources they need, whether it’s for a project, paper, speech, or simply for enjoyment. But that doesn’t mean I don’t entertain myself sometimes, too. I’ve provided here a list of my top ten favorite resources, which you might find useful, intriguing or fun as well.
10: IU East Children’s Library
IU East has a diverse children’s section, with books ranging from classics to bilingual materials in Spanish and English. For education students, we have a variety of curriculum materials. Plus, any collection with Clifford the Big Red Dog must be worth exploring, right?
9: ILLiad
The Campus Library has great resources but we don’t have everything. ILLiad, our Inter-Library Loan service, allows you to get books, articles and other materials conveniently from other libraries. It’s easy to create a free account.
Need primary sources, statistics, opinions and scholarly articles on a hot button topic? Opposing Viewpoints collects diverse resources in one place, focusing on topics such as global warming, cyberbullying, animal testing and a variety of social topics affecting us today. While not all of the resources here are scholarly – articles from magazines and newspapers are sometimes mixed in – Opposing Viewpoints does an admirable job of providing a number of perspectives in one place.
7: IU East DVD Collection
Broke? Bored? Don’t have Netflix? IU East collects and circulates a variety of DVDs, from indie favorites like Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited to gorgeous silent classics by Georges Melies to popular titles like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and internationally acclaimed films like The Seven Samurai, the collection is well-chosen and supports a variety of classes. Best of all, the DVDs are free for a three-day checkout.
The American Memory Project collects images, objects and documents from across American history, managed by the Library of Congress. These important primary sources include the papers of George Washington, slave narratives, the WPA Folk Music Collection and images from all over the United States. A fascinating array of materials awaits here, which can illustrate and inform research.
5: Internet Archive Audio Collection
Need a break from studying? The Internet Archive Audio Collection compiles live shows from famous artists including the Grateful Dead, Smashing Pumpkins, Warren Zevon and Ryan Adams, among many others. The collection also includes audiobooks of public domain books such as Moby Dick, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice and The Odyssey. All recordings are high quality and most are downloadable.
Studying English? Speech? Biochemistry? Zombies? We have LibGuides for all of these and more. LibGuides are targeted links and resources for specific courses, either designed by librarians or instructors, which support class content. All LibGuides are publicly available and updated regularly.
3: JSTOR
JSTOR is a “historical database”, that is, it includes articles that are three years old or older. It indexes journals across a broad variety of disciplines, but can be particularly useful for humanities, arts, public policy, political science and education. JSTOR really shines in its Advanced Search, however. You can narrow down your searches by specifying a series of journals that focus on a particular area of study, like Urban Studies, Anthropology, Criminal Justice or Art. Its Boolean search is particularly sophisticated as well.
2: ProQuest
Similar to Academic Search Premier, ProQuest is a portal that links to a variety of databases across most academic disciplines. Some users prefer ProQuest to Academic Search, however, because they find it easier to use overall. The “Subject” option on the left side toolbar is handy for sorting through results, while its language options are great for finding bilingual articles.
1: VAST/Academic Video Online (AVON)
Part of Alexander Street Press, VAST/AVON contains over 62,000 videos, including works from the BBC, Bloomberg Media and PBS. The videos are very high quality and the platform allows for developing custom playlists. From classic pre-Disney animation to plays by Edward Albee and Jean Genet to documentaries on Thomas Edison, LGBT equality and Asian studies, VAST/AVON holds a tremendous amount of material useful for students of all levels of interest.
Need more suggestions or want to share your favorites? We’re here for you! iueref@iue.edu