Behind the simple facade of the libraries main page lies a wealth of information and assistance. From locating materials in the Columbia libraries, to identifying and using electronic resources, to getting delivery of materials from peer libraries, to managing your research tools, to where to go for help when it all becomes too much….there’s a […]
Category: Research Help
Welcome Summer Session Students!
Welcome to Butler Library. While you are here this summer take advantage of our free library workshops to help you get oriented to our collections and services. Not sure where to start? Try our course, Getting the Most Out of the Libraries this Summer. Click on the course title to see course details and to […]
UWP sources
Here are some new, and not so new, encyclopedias that might be useful for students in UWP classes if they are having trouble coming up with a topic or need a brief discussion of a concept. Often the bibliographies can help locate some useful titles for very general subjects, as well. General Encyclopedias Encyclopedia of Philosophy […]
Citing Kindle
We recently received a question on ref-ref about citing works read on a Kindle, and found several sources which might help. The 16th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style https://resolver.library.columbia.edu/clio6042885 has this: 14.166Books downloaded from a library or bookseller The majority of electronically published books offered for download from a library or bookseller […]
Proximity Operators for Full-Text Searching
Proximity operators are an important tool for focusing the results of free text searches, particularly in full-text databases. Sadly, there is little uniformity in the syntax for proximity searching across various database families. The chart below, created by DHC Head Bob Scott, provides a key to some of the databases found on the Columbia Libraries […]
Have a Question? Need Research Help?
Come to the Butler Library Reference Desk Reference Desk hours are: 1-7 pm Monday and Tuesday; 1-5 pm Wednesday through Friday; and 1- 5 pm Sunday. The Reference Desk is located in 301 Butler. During these hours we can also be reached by phone: 212-854-2241. You may also: Email Your Question Schedule a Research Consultation […]
Welcome to Fall Semester at Butler Library!
We are eager to help you take full advantage of the rich collection of resources and tools that the Libraries have to offer. If you are new to Columbia or have not done much library research until now, we urge you to consider coming to one of three workshops on “Getting the Most Out of […]
How to Find City Histories, 1910-1940
Reference Librarian Mary Cargill suggests: 1. NHGIS (http://www.nhgis.org/) This is a free service from the University of Minnesota. Though I can’t find it on their website, the Map Division has the software, and has experience using it. It will map and create detailed information based on the historical census statistics, and the students were finding […]
Summer Workshops in Butler
Try a library workshop in Butler this summer to become better acquainted with our resources and services and to enhance your research skills: https://blogs.cul.columbia.edu/spotlights/2010/06/01/summer-workshops/ […]
City Hall Library
The New York City Hall Library at http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/about/chlibrary.shtml has just brought up their catalog online, and the librarian has asked that we urge our students to use the online catalog before going down, since they are very short-staffed, and this will save both the Library and our students a lot of time. […]