As a Sonoma State University student, I'm starting a research paper and need to understand why I should use the library's resources instead of just searching the web. How do library databases help me find scholarly articles, and how can I find databases relevant to my major? Also, if I need help specifically with putting together a literature review, what are the different ways I can get assistance from a librarian?
Navigate to 'https://library.sonoma.edu'. Click on the 'Research' link in the main navigation. Click on the 'Find Books and Articles' link. Read the 'Why use library resources?' section to understand the benefits of using library resources over general web searches. Read the 'Finding articles and books' section to understand how library databases help find scholarly articles and how to find subject-specific databases. Read the 'Get Help from a Librarian' section to identify the different ways to get assistance, specifically for a literature review. Synthesize the gathered information into a comprehensive answer.
The agent successfully navigates to the 'Finding Sources' page (or equivalent page containing the information). The agent explains that library resources provide access to published research (scholarly journals or books) generally not freely available on the web, which are written by trained scholars and subscribed to by the library. The agent explains that library databases are special, often subject-specific, search engines that get users past paywalls to access scholarly articles, and that the A-Z list of databases can be filtered by subject to find relevant ones for a major. The agent lists at least three ways to get assistance from a librarian for a literature review (e.g., schedule an appointment, email a librarian, chat with a librarian, or drop by the Information/Checkout Desk).