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*Human & Public Service Library Research Overview

Guide created to support research in Human & Public Service at TCC

Off-campus access to library databases is limited to current TCC students, faculty, and staff only. Use your TCC email and password when prompted to log in. If you have problems accessing library resources, contact the library staff for help.

Articles

Where do I search? Which database should I use?

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TCC Library Catalog

The TCC Library Catalog Search is the best tool to use to search for books, eBooks, streaming video, course reserves, and other items held in the library collection.

You can find articles using the “All Collections” or “Article Databases” options in the TCC Library Catalog search however, not all of the library databases are included in this search. It is a very broad and general search with basic filtering options. 
 

TCC Article Databases

In general, searching the article databases is going to be your best bet for finding newspaper, magazine, and journal articles. The databases usually offer advanced search options that allow you to more precisely limit your results and build a more specific search for your topic.
 
How do I know which databases to search?
  • Databases by Subject: Use the “Browse Subjects” option to view the Databases by Subject list. Find the relevant subject category for your topic to get a list of databases more specifically focused on that subject area. Multi-Subject databases cover a variety of subjects.
  • Database Descriptions: Read the database description to get an idea of what kind of content is included in the database. This will help you determine whether it is an appropriate fit for your topic. On the Databases by Subject page, there is a checkbox on the top right of the page to select to "Show all descriptions". This will display the descriptions for all the databases on the page. You can also hover over the title of a database or click on the triangle after the database title to view the database description for an individual database.
  • Subject/Course Guides: If there is a more specific subject guide or a relevant course guide developed, see what databases are listed. These guides are created by the librarians assigned to work with that subject/course.
Listed below are the current subject categories used for the Databases by Subject list. For human & public service, the subject categories in bold might be particularly useful:
  • Almanacs, Directories and Handbooks
  • Arts
  • Business, Computers, and Economics
  • Countries and Cultures
  • Database Collections
  • Education and Vocational
  • Electronic Books and Magazines
  • Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
  • Government
  • Health and Nursing
  • History
  • Legal Resources
  • Literature
  • Literature Criticism and Interpretation
  • Multi-language Resources
  • Multi-Subject
  • News and Controversial Issues
  • Psychology, Philosophy, Religion, and Behavior Sciences
  • Science
  • Statistics
  • Streaming Video
  • Test Preparation
  • Texas Resources

Follow these steps to check:

  1. On the right side of the library website, under TCC Article Databases, click on "How can I find electronic journal titles?"
  2. Type in the Title or ISSN for the journal.
  3. Press enter or click on the magnifying glass to search.
  4. If we have access, click on the title of the journal. 
  5. If available to view online:
    • Under "View Online" there will be a list of databases that have full text availability, along with the dates full text is available for.
    • Click on a database to access the journal online.
    • From there, you should have an option to search within that specific publication.
  6. If available in print:
    • The campus libraries that have the print journal available will be listed under "Locations".
    • Click on the campus library location to view more details about what volumes are available.
    • Print journals may only be viewed in the library and cannot be checked out.

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