Select A Topic Location Online Access Library Hours Resources - Cataloged Materials Periodicals & Online Articles Research Databases Online Reference Resources Government Documents Guide to Library Services Curriculum Materials Center & Graphics Lab Public Service - Circulation Public Service - Reference Systems Technical Services Class Visits & Library Assignments Help with Blackboard? Information Literacy Program

The Clark Memorial Library Website, also accessible using the URL library.shawnee.edu, provides catalogs, research databases, online reference resources, ejournals, ebooks, and online audio-visual resources.  Off-campus users can access most of the library's proprietary resources (research databases, online reference resources, ejournals, ebooks, online audio-visual resources, etc.) through an authentication process.

Clark Memorial Library is a charter member of OhioLINK, a consortium of 87 college and university libraries, the Cuyahoga County Public Library, Westerville Public Library, and the State Library of Ohio.  For a quick overview of OhioLINK, watch this steaming video: This Is OhioLINK: An Introductory Video.  The OhioLINK Library Catalog (which includes Clark Memorial Library holdings) and most of the SSU research databases can be accessed via the OhioLINK webpages.  To use resources such as research databases, online reference resources, ejournals, ebooks, and online audio-visual resources off-campus, users must have a current Clark Memorial Library account.

Hours vary during Summer Semester and academic breaks. See Library Hours for complete listings. 

The Library is closed on all University holidays.

Clark Memorial Library serves Shawnee State University undergraduate programs with holdings of approximately 180,000 cataloged items. The  Clark Memorial Library Catalog contains cataloging records of art books at the Southern Ohio Museum, of juvenile literature at the Children's Learning Center, and of books (including e-books), periodicals (including ejournals), videos (including online videos), CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, microforms, realia, etc., available within or via the Clark Memorial Library.   

The Clark Memorial Library Catalog is interactive with the OhioLINK Library Catalog, which contains cataloging records representing the holdings of 84 of Ohio's college and university libraries, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Westerville Public Library, and the State Library of Ohio. Via OhioLINK, users may directly request virtually any of the 42 million items identified on the OhioLINK Central Catalog. A courier service assures delivery of OhioLINK materials to Clark Memorial Library (or the OhioLINK affiliate of your choice) within 3 working days. There is no charge for this service; however, users must have a current Clark Memorial Library account. 

Clark Memorial Library subscribes to more than 600 periodicals in hard copy -- some current (paper), some retrospective (micro) -- and makes available approximately 12,000 periodicals in online full-text via our research databases.  A title search on the Clark Memorial Library Catalog will show holdings information, including a check-in record for each local subscription, and links for ejournals in OhioLINK's Electronic Journal Center and in the EBSCOhost databases.

E-Journal Finder

Unfortunately, the catalog does NOT contain records for ALL of the ejournals that our research databases access; however, you can determine online access to a particular periodical by using our E-Journal Finder.  (The E-Journal Finder does not identify Clark Memorial Library hard-copy subscriptions.)

Online Articles

Most of our research databases include links to online articles. Always click (Find It)  -- even in databases that indicate "HTML Full Text," "PDF Full Text," or "Attached Full Text."  In some databases that are entirely full text (LexisNexis, CQ Researcher, etc.), no indication of full text will be given in the results list -- simply click on a title to retrieve the full text.   

Setting up Journal Alerts

OhioLINK's Electronic Journal Center provides two ways to have the table of contents of the most recent issue of a journal delivered to your computer: email alerts and RSS feeds.  To have the table of contents emailed, see this webpage: http://www.ohiolink.edu/help/ejc-alerts.html .  To set up a newsfeed to your RSS newsreader, see the Web Feed. 

 information for the particular title in the EJC.  

EBSCO, another vendor that provides many of our research databases, also offers a journal alert service. 

Please be aware that publishers may "embargo" journal content, i.e., delay the release of full text articles for a specified period of time to database customers.  Journal of Accounting Research, for example, is "embargoed" on the EBSCO databases but not on OhioLINK's Electronic Journal Center.    

Please ask-a-librarian if you have questions about which titles are available online or where to find online articles.   

Clark Memorial Library provides public access to more than 160 online databases covering a wide range of disciplines and subject matter.  The  A-Z list (in the Find Articles menu) lists all research databases available on the public interface. 

Some databases require an authorization number and password, which Reference Librarians will provide upon request.  Most (but not all) of the SSU research databases can be accessed via the OhioLINK webpages; however, users must have a current Clark Memorial Library account for OhioLINK authentication to use research databases and online articles.   Users also have mediated access to Chemical Abstracts and other STN databases.

Online Articles

Most of our research databases include links to online full-text articles.  Even in databases that indicate "HTML Full Text," "PDF Full Text," or "Attached Full Text," always click (Find It).  In some databases that are entirely full text (LexisNexis, CQ Researcher, etc.), no indication of full text will be given in the results list -- simply click on a title to retrieve the full text.    

Searching

Different databases require different access and searching procedures.  Most databases have online help screens that explain their technical/mechanical processes. 

Thesauri are available to assist users in selecting appropriate subject headings and descriptors. In addition to print versions of thesauri (such as the BIOSIS Search Guide, Art & Architecture Thesaurus, Contemporary Thesaurus of Social Science Terms and Synonyms, Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, and Library of Congress Subject Headings), most databases have built-in online thesauri.

Please ask-a-librarian if you have questions about using the research databases.  

Approximately 800 online full-text reference resources are available via the Library Catalog, the research databases, on the subject lists (Natural Sciences, Literary Analysis & Criticism, etc.), and directly from the Online Reference Resources page.  In the Oxford Reference Online collection (more than 120 titles) and the Electronic Book Center  collection (thousands of ABC CLIO, Oxford University Press, and Springer titles), users can search all titles simultaneously, choose a group of titles to search, or select a single title to search. 

As a member of the United States Government Depository program, Clark Memorial Library not only provides catalog records for government documents available locally in hard copy but also facilitates web access to government resources via our Clark Memorial Library Catalog.  

Printed guides to library services and resources are available at the Reference Counter. The general guide to Clark Memorial Library provides an introduction to the facility.  An outline of the Library of Congress Classification System and guides to our catalog and the OhioLINK databases are also available on/via our web pages.

The Curriculum Materials Center and Graphics Lab for preservice teachers includes a PreK-12 materials collection and a variety of resources that can be utilized to integrate technology into instruction.  Macintosh and IBM/PC computers, scanners, and software; a laminator and heat press; a photocopier; paper cutters; an Ellison LetterMachine; and other tools are available.  

The Circulation Department (740.351.3519) manages the materials in the library's collections, facilitates borrowing and lending activities with other institutions, and maintains the photocopiers and microformat reader/printers. 

Borrowing Privileges

Although it is not necessary for individuals to register with Clark Memorial Library to use SSU materials in the building, all users must have current library accounts to borrow SSU materials, to complete OhioLINK loan requests online, or to request an OhioLINK or interlibrary loan.  To initially activate an account, faculty apply at the Circulation Counter.  Full-service faculty have year-round borrowing privileges.  Adjunct faculty have borrowing privileges only during semesters they are teaching on this campus; in order to continue their borrowing privileges, adjuncts may register as community borrowers during the semesters they are not teaching here.

Most Clark Memorial Library materials circulate to faculty for the semester.  Items may be renewed as many times as desired, up to one year, as long as no other user has requested the material. OhioLINK print materials circulate for 3 weeks; four renewals are allowed.  OhioLINK audiovisual materials circulate for one week.  Clark Memorial Library does not charge fines on our local materials; however, OhioLINK overdue fines are $.50 per day.

Interlibrary Loan

Traditional interlibrary loan services are available for library materials that are not available locally, that cannot be accessed online, or that cannot be borrowed from other OhioLINK institutions.  

Holds

Books and articles requested via OhioLINK or interlibrary loan are placed ON HOLD at the Circulation Counter. Borrowers may pick up these items at their convenience.  Items generally remain ON HOLD for 10 days.

Reserves

Faculty may place materials from Clark Memorial Library or from their personal libraries on Reserve at the Circulation Counter.  Faculty may place items on reserve by contacting our Circulation Department or by using the Online Course Reserve Form.

Consortial agreements prohibit our placing materials borrowed from other institutions on Reserve in this facility.  

For more detailed information about placing materials on reserve, see the Circulation Department's Reserve Circulation Guidelines for SSU Faculty. 

Reference (740.351.3321) provides guidance in selecting and using information resources, conducts expert-level research, teaches library instruction units, and liaises with teaching departments. 

Reference Librarians

Librarians work at the Reference/Information Counter from 10 AM to 7 PM Monday through Thursday and from 10 AM to 1 PM Friday.  Reference Librarians provide point-of-use instruction and assistance to users who need help locating and using information resources. Additionally, Reference Librarians perform complex research and conduct mediated searches on DIALOG, STN, and other database systems. Reference Librarians also offer Research Consultations, individualized one-on-one appointments with students, staff, or faculty who need assistance with complicated research tasks.

Student Reference Assistants

The Reference/Information Counter is staffed by Student Reference Assistants during all the hours the Library is open; however, the responsibilities of the Student Reference Assistants are limited to such tasks as the following:

• providing directional information
• maintaining/troubleshooting equipment
• offering peer instruction at computer workstations
• assisting with preliminary interlibrary loan functions
• facilitating the referral of reference questions to librarians

Library Instruction

Information literacy, "the ability to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources," is a primary focus for library instruction. Reference Librarians provide library instruction to all Senior Seminar classes and are available to develop subject-specific sessions tailored to meet the needs of particular courses.  To arrange for a subject-specific session, please contact the departmental liaison.

Professional Development Opportunities for Faculty

Reference Librarians offer a variety of professional development opportunities for faculty.  Typical workshop sessions are hands-on and cover such topics as the following:

• Introduction to the Clark Memorial Library and OhioLINK catalogs
• Training on subject-specific databases, e.g., databases for business research
• Training on specific software or search engines, e.g., the EBSCOhost databases 
• Research and resources updates for Senior Seminar faculty 
• Training for databases recently added locally services, e.g., RSS newsfeeds
• Training on making library resources readily available in other Web resources such as Blackboard

Library Liaisons

Each academic department has a Librarian assigned as the department's library liaison. The library liaison works with the department in selecting and ordering library resources that will meet the research needs of SSU students. The liaison also provides information about new resources, performs librarian-mediated database searching, produces tailored bibliographies of resources appropriate to research on particular topics, offers research consultations, presents customized library instruction for departments or for classes, and creates documentation necessary for accreditation reviews.  A list of liaisons by department follows:

Systems (740.351.3197) operates and maintains the electronic components of Clark Memorial Library. 

Technical Services (740.351.3410) acquires and processes resources for inclusion in the local collection. 

Acquisitions

Each academic department receives an allocation from the library acquisitions budget, and all faculty members are encouraged to participate in the library collection development process. The distribution of funds to the departments is calculated using a formula which takes into consideration such factors as the unit cost of resources, the local usage of materials in our collection, and ILL and OhioLINK borrowing within each discipline. Each Department Chair receives information about the allocation early in the academic year. The departments themselves determine how to apportion and/or distribute funds within their various units.

Ordering Library Resources

The Clark Memorial Library's Collection Development Policy includes detailed information regarding selection of materials in general and also contains a specific Selection Policy and Conspectus for each academic department. A significant amount of our local ordering activity is conducted via an OhioLINK approval plan which was structured from the information in each department's Selection Policy and Conspectus.  Each Chair has received a copy of the department's Conspectus, and additional copies are available in the Clark Memorial Library Reference Office.

Resources purchased with funds from the Library allocation must be housed in Clark Memorial Library or be made available via the Clark Memorial Library webpages and must support the teaching and learning of our local undergraduate students.  Materials sought solely to support faculty research should be borrowed from other OhioLINK members, the Center for Research Libraries (via OhioLINK), or through traditional interlibrary loan.

Requests from faculty for library resources (books, periodicals, multimedia, online databases, etc.) should be submitted via email or on order cards to the department's library liaison . (Order cards are available at the Reference Counter, at Circulation, and from the liaison.) Choice cards may also be submitted.  All order cards must be initialed by the department chair or designee; all electronic requests for orders must be authorized by the department chair.  When ordering non-book materials, we would appreciate your either attaching flyers, catalog order pages, or similar information to your order cards or providing us with URLs for commercial websites.

Government Publications

Clark Memorial Library is a Selective Government Depository. In order to receive a particular government publication in the depository program, we must subscribe to an entire group, or class, of documents. Selection of an additional class of government documents can be done only during the month of July. No retrospective materials can be acquired by subscribing to a class of documents, but Clark Memorial Library will receive all new items published in that class. Please speak with the departmental liaison if you want Clark Memorial Library to subscribe to specific government publications.  If you wish to make a one-time purchase of a particular government document (rather than receive it as a depository item), you may order it using money from your departmental allocation.

Discarded Periodicals

Because of limited shelving space, the Library holds the paper issues of periodicals for only a limited time. After the paper issues have been removed from the public shelves, faculty members or departments can request that superseded paper issues be held for their pickup in Technical Services.

We welcome classes in the Library.

Several areas on Level 2 accommodate groups of 20-30 students. If all of your students will be working with the same resources, or if, in conducting their research, your students will require assistance from the Reference staff, it would be advisable to alert a Librarian before your visit.

Because library instruction is part of the required curriculum in freshman English, most students are acquainted with the floor plan of the Library and the arrangement of materials by LC call number.  Also, most students know how to use the Library homepage, the Shawnee State and OhioLINK Library Catalogs, and research databases like Academic Search Complete, a general periodical index with links to full text.

Although students may have been introduced to subject-specific research databases like PsycINFO or Biological Abstracts, as they use these tools infrequently, they will probably need assistance with them. Likewise, although students may be familiar with resources in general, they may need guidance in locating and evaluating resources appropriate for college-level research.

Library PC workstations offer Microsoft Office (Word for word processing, Excel for spreadsheets, Access for databases, and PowerPoint for presentations), Microsoft Frontpage (webpage design software), and Microsoft Outlook (for email and time management); Internet Explorer, and applications such as Flash, Quicktime, RealOne, and Windows Media Player.  Macintosh workstations generally offer the Office for Mac package, iTunes, iPhotos, iMovies and Microsoft Outlook. 

We will be glad to help you design or update a Library assignment or to answer any questions you may have about Library resources. If you do not consult us while preparing the assignment, to help us insure that you and your students are well-served during the assignment, we would ask that you do the following:

1. Provide a Reference Librarian with a written copy of your assignment a couple of days before your students begin working on the assignment.
2. Make sure the resources you assign will be available locally or online at the time your students are required to use them.
3. Indicate on the assignment handout where the assigned resources can be found.
• on Reserve at the Circulation Counter?
• in the Circulating Stacks?
• in the Reference Stacks?
• via online access?
• via the Shawnee State Library web pages?
• available to off-campus users?

Clark Memorial Library's homepage can be accessed from Blackboard by clicking on the graphic of the Library in the upper left corner of any Blackboard page.  

Faculty can make links within a coursesite to the Clark Memorial Library homepage, to resources such as a particular research database (Business Source Premier, CINAHL, etc.), to reference resources (Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, Grove Art Online, etc.), or to specific online articles or online audio-visual items within the library's resources.  To create links directly to library resources, some faculty use the "Resources/External Links/Web Sites" area.  Other faculty create a "Library" folder in which they provide library links.  Still other faculty include links to library resources within individual Word documents or PowerPoint presentations.  

OhioLINK's Bookmarking an Electronic Journal Article and Creating an Electronic Course Page provide instructions for creating direct links to online OhioLINK articles within your Blackboard webpages.  Please ask-a-librarian if you need help with Library URLs. 

Please ask-a-librarian if you have any questions about using Library resources within your Blackboard coursesites.

We look forward to meeting you and to working with you during this academic year. Please let us know how we can help you and your students meet your information needs at SSU.