Please see boxes below for tips about how to find books, e-books, videos and more in the library catalogue; how to choose a database to search for articles; and how to find articles in the databases.

Here's a few links to get you started:

Search by keyword

The library catalogue's default search setting is set to keyword. A catalogue search will return results for books, videos, E-books and more.

Begin by identifying the key words in the question or the subject you wish to find materials for. Here is an example:

Question:

I am looking for books relating to first nations and diabetes.

Answer:

Begin by identifying important words in the question. Use an asterisk (*) for truncating the ending of words.

 first nation* OR aboriginal*, North American Indian*, native*, native people*, Inuit*, indigenous people*

diabetes

Go to the library catalog to perform the keyword search. Remember to think about different terms (synonyms) which may prove to be more effective during the search process. "first nations" for instance may be changed to, or searched in conjunction with aboriginal or "north american indian*". Choose Advanced Search to search multiple synonyms at once. Use quotation marks around phrases, use an asterisk (*) for truncating the ending of words, for instance: "first nation*"

Narrow the number of results retrieved by adding a name of a country as keyword term, particularly if your reseach if focused on a specific geographical region.

For example:

 Canada

If you find an interesting item, click on the hyperlinked record and scroll down to view the subject headings. This will provide further ideas for keywords and subject terms to search.

Finding an appropriate database:

• Start from the library home page: http://library.unbc.ca/

• Near the main search box, click on the Databases tab.

• Scroll down on the Browse by Subject list until you find Health Sciences or First Nations / Native American Studies or Canadian Focus or use the default of Multidisciplinary. Descriptions of the topic coverage in each database are included.

• Click on Submit.

• Or, if you know the database that you want to search in, choose the appropriate letter of the database title from Alphabetical list.

Tips for searching for articles: 

• Once you have selected an appropriate database use the following to connect your search terms

• AND - Connecting your search terms with AND allows you to narrow your search.  You will retrieve only the items that have BOTH or ALL of your terms contained within.
• OR - Connecting your search terms with OR allows you to broaden your search. You with retrieve any of the items that contain EITHER or ONE OF your terms.

• In most databases it is easiest to start with a Keyword search.

• You may also want to use the Thesaurus or Subject Terms to browse for the appropriate subject terms for your topic.

• If you know the title of the article you are looking for do a Title search.

• If you know that you want articles from within a specific journal search by Journal title, Periodical title, or Series title. 

• If you know the author, search by Author (Last name, first initial).

• There may be other options to limit your seach by publication year, document type, etc. Take advantage of these!

There are plenty of consumer health resources available and it is important to determine whether or not the information that you find is reliable.