Jessup Journal

When you think of Google, you might not think "academic" or "scholarly." Most people use Google for a variety of reasons, but often, when using Google for research, they retrieve too many results or the results aren't relevant. Knowing how to use Google effectively and efficiently can save you a lot of time, effort and frustration. Note: We encourage you to begin your research with library materials first. Google is not an alternative to, but a helpful addition to the library's resources. The library staff recently presented a workshop called "Finding Your Inner Google." Google Scholar and Google Books , among others, were discussed, as well as tips and techniques for using Google effectively. For instance, did you know that Google Scholar is a good source of scholarly journal articles? Not to mention, you often can link directly to library databases to find full text. (Go to Google Scholar, click Scholar Preferences, and search for Virginia Commu

As the end of the semester nears, so does the end-of-semester due date, May 4. This is something the library does every semester; have you noticed? It's important to return books on time, especially at the end of the semester, as a hold will be placed on your record if the book (or other item) is not returned by the due date. This prevents you from obtaining grades or transcripts and registering for classes. In addition, your account eventually will be turned over for collection. The amount turned over for collection depends on the replacement cost of the book. Take a look at the Library Policies & Services Web page for more information. And, please, let us know if you have questions.