How to Find Sources in CCU’s Online Library

Welcome to the CCU Library Portal tutorial. Let's learn how to access all the resources available to you.Start by opening your web browser and navigating to the Coastal Carolina University website.You'll need to log in with your CCU credentials to access the library resources.After entering your username and password, click the login button.Once logged in, you'll see the main navigation menu at the top of the page.Click on 'Library Resources' in the navigation menu to access the library portal.The main search bar is prominently displayed in the center of the page, allowing you to search across all library resources.On the left side of the page, you'll find Quick Links for frequently accessed resources.The Resource Categories section helps you browse different types of materials available through the library.Now that you can access the library portal, let's explore how to search for materials effectively.To perform an effective search, start by entering your keywords in the main search bar.For basic keyword searches, simply type your terms. The search will look for these words anywhere in the document.Use quotation marks to search for exact phrases. This ensures the words appear together in that specific order.Narrow your results using filters. You can limit by publication date, content type, and academic discipline.Choose between searching all resources or specific databases. Different databases may have different content coverage.Here are some effective search techniques. Use quotes for exact phrases, AND to require multiple terms, and date ranges to limit by year.Advanced search features help you find exactly what you're looking for. Let's start with Boolean operators.The AND operator finds results that contain both terms. For example, articles about climate change AND renewable energy.The OR operator broadens your search to find results containing either term.The NOT operator excludes specific terms from your search results.To ensure academic quality, you can limit your results to peer-reviewed articles.You can select specific databases that are most relevant to your research topic.Subject headings and thesaurus terms help you find related topics and standardized terminology.Finally, you can save your search parameters for future use.When you find an article, you'll typically have options to download it in different formats.The PDF format preserves the original layout and is best for printing, while HTML allows for easier online reading and copying text.You can generate citations in various formats. Let's look at an APA citation example.Citations can be exported to various reference management tools to help organize your research.If an article isn't available in our library, you can request it through interlibrary loan.Interlibrary loan requests typically take two to five business days for articles, and one to two weeks for books.Access to library resources varies depending on your location. On campus, you'll have direct access, while off-campus access requires VPN connection.To use the VPN, download and install the CCU VPN client, then connect before accessing library resources.The library offers multiple ways to get help with your research.Our live chat service connects you directly with a librarian during library hours.You can ask questions about finding sources, using databases, or citing materials.For in-depth research help, you can schedule a one-on-one consultation with a subject specialist librarian.Green slots show available appointment times. Consultations typically last 30 minutes to an hour.Our subject guides, called LibGuides, provide curated resources for specific disciplines.Each guide contains databases, journals, and research tips specific to that field.Our citation tools help you format your references correctly.You'll find examples and templates for all major citation styles.