Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Introduction to This Blog


A library is a thing of wonder and extremely powerful - if you know how to use it and where to find information.

Periodically, I like to remind readers what this blog is about and how to use it. The Chockablog blog is here to walk you through business reference questions, answer FAQ's about your business questions, and show you some ideas and sources you might not have known about.

We use text, links and video to get all these points across.

Scroll down on the main page and use the subject tags to read blog entries on your topic. The blogging format makes the posts appear in chronological order, but all the entries are up to date and are revised from time to time.

A lot of our databases are wonderful, but not intuitive - so use this blog. We have tons of books on subjects you might not think exist - so use this blog! I've already found the correct web addresses for those government economic statistics. So check that out too.

Welcome to Texas State and the Alkek Library....

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Reference Online

I read somewhere that the number one college students use Wikipedia is to get background information. Sometimes it is hard to find our reference resources on the library webpage.

We have reference sources electronically and in dead tree format. It is really important to get the most out of what you are reading instead of scratching your head or feeling a big hollow void of noncomprehension swirl up in your mind. That's where reference - and not just for business - comes in handy. They will provide context and the big picture.

First of all, check out our Credo Reference Collection. Another good idea is Gale reference, which includes business and management encyclopedias. We also have Oxford Reference Online which has some economics and business titles.

Here is our print reference collection. This link just shows you what titles are on the shelves - it's like walking up and down the bookcases.

I think this will make your academic life a lot more rewarding!