NEH Summer Programs at VT - Library Resources: Race and Mental Health in History and Literature

General VT Library Information - see the 'Get Started' page of the NEH Summer Program guide for general info and library services

Research Process - Tips and Tools 

• Designing a Keyword Search for Getting the Best out of Research Databases
  • Search Strategy Builder tool
• Using Limits / Filters / Facets to Narrow or Sort your Search Results
  • In Summon - "Fun with Facets" screencast (3 min)
  • In PubMed - "The Filters Sidebar" screencast (2 min)
• Getting Full Text - 
  • Look for full text links and/or the Get VText box, which will connect you to full text, or to Illiad/Interlibrary Loan to request material from another library: ​
• Search History / Recent Searches - document your process
  • In EBSCO databases - "Using Search History in EBSCO Host" (2 min)
• Keep up with new publications - Set up an Alert
  • In EBSCO databases - "Creating a Search Alert in EBSCOHost" (1 min 30 sec)
• Manage Your Research Sources
  • Citation Managers (Zotero and Mendeley are free, popular options)

Research Databases

Note: From the General VT Library Information page - general research options

• Use Summon to conduct a Google-like search of most of our library resources - online or physical materials.
• Subject Guides are a great starting point for recommended databases of research in particular areas
• Databases - use this search to get to the access page for a specific database, like Historical Abstracts, MLA International Bibliography, PubMed, or PsycINFO

History

Two key research databases for history are listed here. For more options, see the History Subject Guide, investigate other subject guides, or contact Bruce or Ginny.

• Historical Abstracts (EBSCO) - world history *excluding* U.S. and Canda; citations, abstracts, and some full text; articles, books, dissertations. Publication date coverage: 1450-present.
• America: History & Life (EBSCO) - United States and Canadian history; citations, abstracts, and some full text; articles, books, primary documents. Publication date coverage: 1863-present.

Literature

Two key research databases for literature are listed here. For more options, see the English Language and Literature Subject Guide, investigate other subject guides, or contact Bruce or Ginny.

• MLA International Bibliography (ProQuest) - literature, folklore, drama, linguistics, criticism,; global in scope; research in many languages, including English; citations, abstracts; articles, books, dissertations. Publication date coverage: 1926-present.
• Literature Online / LION (ProQuest) - literature in English; citations, abstracts, some full text; author biographies and reference articles; full text of many works of literature; multimedia performance recordings. Publication date coverage: 1280-present.

Health

Two key research databases for health in general and for mental health are listed here. For more options, see the Health Sciences at VT Subject Guide, the Psychology Subject Guide, investigate other subject guides, or contact Bruce or Ginny.

• PubMed/MEDLINE - *open access* biomedical, life science and general health; citations, abstracts, some free full text; primarily journal articles with some other content. Publication date coverage: 1946-present.
  • PubMed Tip - Maximize your full-text access to PubMed articles through VT library subscriptions.
• ​PsycINFO - primary psychology research database; citations, abstracts, cited references, and some full text; articles, books, dissertations, reviews. 1840-present.

Recommended Health Information Websites

• 

  Medline Plus

  Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, Medline Plus brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues. It offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free. Learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.

   

  PubMed Health 

  "PubMed Health provides information for consumers and clinicians on prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions. PubMed Health specializes in reviews of clinical effectiveness research, with easy-to-read summaries for consumers as well as full technical reports. Clinical effectiveness research finds answers to the question “What works?” in medical and health care."

Assistance ​

•   We have a wonderful Ask a Librarian service! Knowledgeable research assistance staff are available for email, chat, or in-person reference desk hours! 
• Program liaison librarians: 
  • History - Bruce Pencek, bpencek@vt.edu, (540) 231-2140
  • Health - Ginny Pannabecker, vpannabe@vt.edu, (540) 231-7980