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Using Library Resources

The "Using Library Resources" guide will help students learn more about library resources, research practices, databases, and information literacy. Select one of the topics on the side bar to access additional information.

EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) is an online research tool that "pulls together" the majority of our library resources so they can be explored using a single search box. EBSCO Discovery Service has the same feel and functionality as the EBSCOhost databases. It allows users to search for almost every CCC library resource including our databases, all our eBooks, and additional citations that can be used for interlibrary loan from other institutions. Users have the option of conducting a discovery search from the "basic search" screen (which provides a single search box) or the ("advanced search" screen) which allows users to search with search modes, facets, limiters, and more.

The library software and electronic content markets have been offering "discovery" tools for several years. These products are designed to provide a "Google-like" search experience of the world of library electronic resources including the library online catalog, databases, ejournals, eBooks, and more.

Common Features of Discovery Tools Include:

  • Single search box;

  • Consolidated index of bibliographic metadata from many sources;

  • Fast, single set of results tailored to a library's collection;

  • Facets for easy search refinement by subject, author, type of material and more;

  • Recommendations;

  • Bibliographic tools (folders, citations, persistent links).

Search Everything

Advanced Search

 

 

Limiters allow users to narrow the focus of their searches so that the information retrieved from the databases being searched is limited according to the selected values. 

On the result list, you can select limiters to display under the Refine Results facet.EBSCO recommends the following limiters:

  • Full Text (Online) - Limits results to articles with full text available from databases, custom links, and local collections.
  • Scholarly (peer Reviewed) Journals - Limits search results to articles from peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed journals are publications that include only those articles that have been reviewed and/or qualified by a selected panel of acknowledged experts in the field of study covered by the journal.
  • Available in Library Collection - Limits search results to records whose full text is available online (via EBSCOhost full-text databases, e-journals, institutional repositories, data partners, etc.) or content physically available in your library. 

The three basic Boolean operators are: AND, OR, and NOT. They connect your search words together to either narrow or broaden your results.

Using AND:

  • Narrows your results
  • Tells the database that ALL search terms must be present in the results

       In many (not all) databases, the AND is implied.

Using OR

  • Broadens your results
  • Connects two or more terms
  • Tells the database that ANY of your search terms can be present in the resulting record

Using NOT

  • Narrows your search
  • Excludes terms from your results
  • Tells the database to ignore terms that may be implied by your search terms

Why use Boolean operators?

  • To focus a search, particularly when your topic contains multiple search terms.
  • To connect various pieces of information to find exactly what you're looking for.

MIT Libraries

Limiters allow users to narrow the focus of their searches so that the information retrieved from the databases being searched is limited according to the selected values. 

On the result list, you can select limiters to display under the Refine Results facet.EBSCO recommends the following limiters:

  • Full Text (Online) - Limits results to articles with full text available from databases, custom links, and local collections.
  • Scholarly (peer Reviewed) Journals - Limits search results to articles from peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed journals are publications that include only those articles that have been reviewed and/or qualified by a selected panel of acknowledged experts in the field of study covered by the journal.
  • Available in Library Collection - Limits search results to records whose full text is available online (via EBSCOhost full-text databases, e-journals, institutional repositories, data partners, etc.) or content physically available in your library. 

If you would like to limit your search results to a specific Content Provider you can using the Content Provider facet found on the Search Results page. The facet displays which providers are currently part of your results and allows you to update the results to a limited selection of databases. The Content Providers may be a single publisher who is providing content to EBSCO, or an aggregated database, which includes content from many different publishers.  The list available is determined by your institution's administrator. 

If you would like to limit your results to a specific publisher, we recommend using the Publisher facet available from your Search Results.

EBSCO Discovery Service User's Guide

This tutorial demonstrates the features of the EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) interface, including how to search for information of interest to you.

*This video tutorial was created by the video owner and is not specific to CCC, but the content gives you general guidance on the subject. Please contact a librarian if you have questions not covered here.

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