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Library Services for LSC Employees Working on Advanced Degrees

Library Instruction

LSC Librarians can assist you with your dissertation process, most particularly with your literature review and the search for previous writings and research on your topic. LSC Libraries and your dissertation institution library offer many useful research resources and tools. LSC Librarians are your guides in choosing and using the right tools.

Online resources

Research Databases

Your university library will offer a set of on-line research databases which will be the primary tools for your literature review. These searchable databases are indexes of bibliographic information about scholarly articles, reports, books, dissertations, and other types of literature. Many of these databases also contain full text reproductions of these materials which can be read on-line, saved, or printed. Most databases are equipped with useful tools for creating citations, saving and emailing articles, and organizing sources. Your LSC Librarian can guide you in using these tools.

Government and educational websites

Depending on your dissertation topic, information for your literature review and research may be available on government and academic websites (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, and the Centers for Disease Control). Your librarian can direct you to those that are appropriate for your topic and help you use their built-in resources and tools, and show you how to evaluate information from the web.

Obtaining Resources not in the Library Collection

In your research, you many encounter sources that are not available via either your university or LSC library.

Interlibrary Loan

As an employee of LSC, you are eligible to request research materials (articles, books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) not available in the LSC collection via Interlibrary Loan.

Once you supply the bibliographic information regarding the item to our online form, our interlibrary loan staff will request the item from library collections across the country. Requested periodical articles will be scanned and emailed to you. A book or other more substantial media will be shipped and delivered to your campus library for pick up. Time should be allowed (up to 3 weeks) for delivery, depending on the originating location and rareness of the item. The institution owning the item will set a loan period (generally up to 30 days). Your university library will have a similar interlibrary loan system, but the method of delivery will vary depending upon their policies. You should feel confident during your research that almost any type of source material is accessible via interlibrary loan.

WorldCat Dissertations and Theses

A resource particularly helpful for locating previous dissertations in your subject area is WorldCat. WorldCat indexes print resources in every library in the United States and is useful for locating bibliographic information needed to order print items (including dissertations) through the Interlibrary Loan service.

Searching WorldCat for Dissertations

  1. Go to the Worldcat.org website.
  2. Select "Advanced Search" by selecting the Advanced Search icon (two parallel lines with dots) after the search box.
  3. On the Advanced Search menu, choose "Thesis, Dissertation" from the drop-down list for Format.
  4. Then, search for your subject terms.

TexShare

As an employee of LSC, you are eligible to receive from your library a TexShare card which you can use to directly access physical library collections at most academic institutions in Texas. TexShare is a consortium of libraries, each of which sets their own policies in regard to items loaned and services provided via the TexShare card. You can search for participating libraries on the TexShare Card website.

Citation and formatting assistance

Appropriately citing your research sources and putting your dissertation documents into the correct format are complex and frustrating tasks. Each university and academic department within each school set specific guidelines for formatting dissertations. LSC librarians can assist you with the appropriate citation format for your sources (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) and can recommend a number of helpful online tools and guides. Your university library will likely have similar tools, and additional subscriptions to citation-building and organizing services. LSC librarians can also help you seek out the appropriate dissertation formatting guidelines for your university and academic department on the web.

Direct research consultation

You can make a personal appointment with any LSC librarian to directly discuss your research and get help in choosing the right strategies for your successful literature review. 

Helpful Utilities: Writing Centers, Printing, Email Services, Online Tools

LSC librarians can review with you numerous services and on-line tools available to help you stay organized and productive in your research. Your university may have writing centers or tutors who can assist you with your actual writing, as well as services for printing and email. Many new free tools for research organization, file storage, and time management now exist on the web, and LSC librarians can suggest those that might be most helpful to you.

Referral to dissertation institution library contacts and guides

LSC Librarians can help you get in touch with the appropriate librarian for your subject area at your dissertation institution, and provide you with contact information and guidance to any on-line subject guides your university library may offer.

Online Resources

Suggested resources on dissertation writing:

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