Gather background information. General and specialized subject encyclopedias are good sources for filling in any gaps in your knowledge. Sometimes references are provided to books and journal articles where you can get more information on a topic. Keyword searching is particularly useful because you can combine terms for a more precise focus. There are over 70 Library Networked Databases, which provide access to articles in magazines, journals, newspapers, and government documents.
Periodicals often provide the most recent information on a topic.
Government Information . Two workstations in the Reference Room provide access to government information on the Internet and some CD-ROM databases. Internet resources provide another avenue you can explore in your search for information. But if you surf the Internet, consider the source and evaluate it carefully. It's often difficult to assess the reliability of the information you find.