How can I get help with my research?
Ask a librarian! You can stop by the library on any CSM campus or contact us by email at library@csmd.edu. We're happy to work with you via email or set up a meeting (Zoom or in-person) to help with any and all research-related needs including using library databases, evaluating information, finding and understanding scholarly sources, and creating citations in APA, MLA, or Chicago styles.
How can I access library databases?
- Login to myCSMD
- Scroll down to "Library Access" and click the link for Library Research Databases.
- Scroll down and click on the database you want to use.
- If you haven't logged in to myCSMD recently, the database link will redirect you to log in before bringing you to the database. This tells the database that you are affiliated with CSM and should be able to access our resources.
How do I get my CSM Student ID card?
Request your student ID card in person (at CSM libraries) or via email. For details, see the Student ID Cards page of this guide.
Which EBSCO database should I use?
CSM provides access to multiple databases through EBSCO. You can search each database individually, or select multiple databases to search in at the same time. Here's a quick guide for choosing between some of our most popular EBSCO databases:
- General searching across multiple disciplines (journal articles, news, magazines, and other periodicals): Academic Search Premier
- Business: Business Source Premier and Regional Business News
- Communications and Media: Communications & Mass Media Complete
- eBooks: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) and eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost)
- Education and Teaching: ERIC and Teacher Reference Center
- Environment: GreenFILE
- Government: Military & Government Collection
- Nursing and Medical: Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, CINAHL, and MEDLINE
- Other health information: Health Source: Consumer Edition and AHFS Consumer Medication Information
Which ProQuest database should I use?
ProQuest One Academic (PQ1A) searches many ProQuest databases at once. One way to narrow down your search is to select specific databases. To do this, click "Databases" at the top of the page and check or uncheck boxes for the databases/collections that you want to search, then click "use selected databases."
Here's a quick guide for choosing ProQuest databases:
- General searching across multiple disciplines: ProQuest One Academic or ProQuest Central
- News: U.S. Newsstream*, Research Library*, International Newsstream*, Global Breaking Newswires*, and ProQuest Historical Newspapers - The New York Times with Index
- eBooks: eBook Central and Academic Complete
- Video: Academic Video Online
- Subjects/Disciplines: see options under ProQuest Central
*under ProQuest Central
Which Gale database should I use?
CSM provides access to multiple Gale databases, which can be searched individually or cross-searched. Here's what you can find in each of the Gale databases:
- Gale eBooks (also called Gale Virtual Reference Library) - multidisciplinary eBook collection with lots of reference sources such as encyclopedias.
- Gale in Context: Biography - biographies, news, magazines, and multimedia content about influential people.
- Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints - overviews, news, opinions, and pro/con essays about popular social issues. Also includes links to relevant sources in other CSM library databases (such as EBSCO and ProQuest).
- Gale Literary Index - lists resources found across Gale databases for specific authors and works.
- Gale Literature Resource Center - author biographies, book overviews, literary criticism, interviews, and reviews.
- Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep - practice tests, test prep eBooks, and information about colleges, graduate schools, and scholarships.
I tried to go back to the article I found in the database, but the link doesn't work!
Don't lose your work!
Any links to database sources need to fit two criteria:
- The link is stable URL ("permanent link" or "permalink"). See the library's Databases & Resources guide for details on where to find this in each database.
- The link includes a proxy string (an addition that will prompt log in through myCSMD so you can be properly "logged in" when going into database resources).
- If the link you copied from the database does not include "exproxy.csmd.edu/login" anywhere in the link, you will need to add the following proxy prefix BEFORE the database link: https://ezproxy.csmd.edu/login?url=
