Literary Research

Lisa Sloniowski,

English Literature Librarian

Libraries are Obsolete. Discuss.

Libraries > Format

Babylonian tablets… Papyrus scrolls…

Libraries > Format

Books… Ebooks, Ejournals, etc

Library Values:

Knowledge (for its own sake)

Sharing

Common Space

“Libraries are about Freedom” – Neil Gaiman

People

“Doing research on the Web is like using a library assembled piecemeal by pack rats and vandalized nightly." -- Roger Ebert

“Doing research on the Web is like asking people randomly on the street.” – Roy Tennant

Library of Congress System

Where’s the Literary Stuff?

PN -- General Literature

PR -- English Literature

PS -- American Literature (incl. Canadian)

(but remember that locations vary)

Issues in the Organization of Literary Material

The rise of critical theory & interdisciplinary approaches

The problem of literature itself

The emergence of “aboutness”

Search Tools

Books, Films, Encyclopedias: Library Catalogue

Journal Articles, Performance Reviews:Periodical Indexes:

MLA Bibliography, International Index to the Performing ArtsFactiva

How?

Search Tools: Catalogues and Periodical Indexes

Subject Guides

EN1001 Course-Related Library Guide

Awesome Researchers Know:

1)that the quality of their paper depends on the quality of their sources and how to connect them

2)how to evaluate their search strategies and results -number of results-revise with correct keywords, descriptors-lateral thinking

3)to give themselves enough time to do the job properly

4)to use shortcuts where possible --subject headings--skimming the bibliography--encyclopedias

An updated notion of genius would have to center around one's mastery of information and its dissemination.”

~Kenny Goldsmith