Information for DE Students

The following information is designed to give DE students an overview of CSN's various library resources and services that will help support their online coursework.

• Finding Research Materials
• Citing Your Sources
• Getting Librarian Assistance

Finding Research Materials

Reference Sources
Use the library's online encyclopedias and dictionaries from your home computer if you need a simple definition or brief background information: Oxford Reference Online, Oxford English Dictionary, and Encyclopedia Britannica. More extensive background information is available from the Gale Virtual Reference Library, which provides access to nearly 140 specialized encyclopedias covering a wide range of subjects. You will need to type in a user name (the last 8 digits of your student id number/c-number) and a password (the month and year of your birth date - MMYY) to access these resources. If you need help logging in or searching, see Getting Librarian Assistance.

Journal, Magazine & Newspaper Articles
Use the library's Indexes to Journal Articles to locate, read, print and save full text articles on your home computer. The database descriptions will give you an idea of which journal index to use for your assignment. You will need to type in a user name (the last 8 digits of your student id number/c-number) and a password (the month and year of your birth date - MMYY). If you need help logging in or searching the databases, see Getting Librarian Assistance.

Books
NetLibrary is an online database containing thousands of electronic books that you can read for free on your home computer. To use netLibrary, you must first create a netLibrary account.

Search CSN's library catalog, to find out what books (including electronic books) are available at the campus libraries. You may use the Request a Document Delivery Item function through the catalog to have books sent to the campus library that is most convenient for you to get to. You will need a CSN library card in order to check out books or other library materials. If you live outside the Las Vegas area, special arrangements can be made by contacting Marion Martin, InterLibrary Loan Coordinator, at (702) 651-5007 or marion.martin@csn.edu.

Web Sites
Links to Web Resources is a brief listing of web sites by subject. These sites have been selected by CSN's librarians for having reliable information that you might be able to use for a college research assignment.

Citing Your Sources

Most instructors require that research papers and bibliographies be written according to APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association) style. Click on either link for an online version of the Library department's helpful guide to citing your sources in that style.

Getting Librarian Assistance

Reference librarians are available at each campus library to assist you with your research assignments. If you can not visit a campus library in person, please feel free to call any campus reference desk during library hours and a librarian may be able to assist you by phone:

You may also request research assistance by sending email to the following address:

library@csn.edu