The second person you should visit is the reference librarian at the reference desk in the library. Explain your research problem and ask them for a list of sources that you should use. Ask them which one to start with and then where to go from there. If you are writing a long paper, chances are that you will need information from ALL of these resources. Start with a broad overview of a topic by going to an encyclopedia.
Next stop is the catalog .
Remember it will get you to books, whether they are specialized encyclopedias or reference books or circulating monographs. Start by looking for a specialized encyclopedia on your topic. Then try for books you can check out. Next check out the Internet.