BCCLSWWW.BCCLS.ORG

BERGEN COUNTY COOPERATIVE LIBRARY SYSTEM

OBJECTIVES

To introduce the BCCLS system as source of research information.

To explain how to use the BCCLS system.

To demonstrate how to use the system.

Information provided by the Bergen County Cooperative Library System pamphlet found in cooperative public libraries.

What is BCCLS?

Seventy-two libraries subscribe to this system. Through BCCLS you can access all libraries with the click of a mouse and your library card.

Log onto www.bccls.org and conduct a search on any subject. The BCCLS home page works in the same way the HS library’s OPAC system only it is more extensive in its collection.

Why should I use BCCLS? It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. Free access to thousands of magazines, journals, and newspapers.

Books can be borrowed on an interlibrary loan from any of the 72 libraries from any computer.

Our library may not have what you need.

Research is NOT limited to only books.

What information can I find?

EBSCO, INFOTRAC, AND ProQUEST are databases that help you find articles in newspapers, magazines, and references books.

You can look up articles on business, social issues, health, current events, literature, science and technology.

Informe, Facts on File, and Country watch are additional databases available.

How do I search?

Each database uses different search methods. All allow you to search for keywords (broad search) or specific (narrower search).

EBSCO, INFOTRAC, and ProQuest vary in content. You may want to consider doing research in all three databases.

Check the “full text” box to find complete articles. To get the best results quickly, take a few minutes to read each database’s HELP section.

Which database should I use?

Click on “More about…” for a description of the content of each database.

Start here for most searches:

• EBSCO: MasterFILE Premier (includes Consumer Reports)

• INFOTRAC: General Reference Center

• ProQuest: Newspapers, Research Library

HEALTH

• EBSCO: Health Source-Consumer Edition Health Source: Nursing/Academic

Edition Clinical Pharmacology

• INFOTRAC: Health and Wellness Resource Center Health Reference Center Academic

BUSINESS

• EBSCO: Business Source Elite Regional Business News

• INFOTRAC: General Business File ASAP Business and Company Resource

Center

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

• EBSCO: Newspaper Source

• INFOTRAC: Custom Newspapers (includes The Record and The Star-Ledger)

• ProQuest: National Newspapers The Historical New York

Times 1851- 2001

STUDENT/HOMEWORK SOURCES

• EBSCO: TOPICserach Middle Search Plus Primary Search

Searchasaurus

• Facts on File: Reference Database Center

BIOGRAPHIES

• EBSCO: MasterFILE Premier

• INFOTRAC: Biography Reference Center

LITERATURE

• EBSCO: Novelist- for fiction suggestions

• INFOTRAC: Literature Resource Center Contemporary Authors

Contemporary Literary Criticism

HISTORY

• EBSCO: MasterFILE Premier

• ProQuest: New York Times 1851-2001 Select “News-The Historical New

York Times” in the drop-down database menu

• Facts on File: History Database Center

SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLES

• ProQuest: Research Library

GEOGRAPHY, POLITICS, ECONOMEY

• Country Watch

• Facts on File: World Atlas Curriculum

Resource Center

EDUCATION

• Ebsco: ERIC

• ProQuest: Research Library

• Facts on File: Curriculum Resource Center

SCIENCE

• EBSCO: EBSCO Animals TOPICsearch

• Facts on File: Science Online

SPANISH LANGUAGE ARTICLES

• Informe’

How do I access BCCLS?

Log onto the Internet.

On the web address line, type www.bccls.org/databases

Or go to www.bccls.org and click on “Magazine, Newspapers and more.”

If asked for a password or barcode, enter your 14 digit library card number.

Thank you for your attention.

Now let’s try accessing BCCLS for some hands-on

experience.