Generally I’m going to be the one to tell you to go online to find anything you need. I’ll generally tell you to use the latest digital tool to get that new task done. I’m the one who doesn’t want a phone call but an e-mail, a digital file instead of a print out, and in general the newer instead of the older. This can sometimes get me in trouble with people who don’t do things like I do. With the proliferation of computer use it is getting easier though.
Now, when doing research it’s important to leave no stone unturned. It’s likely that you’ve written a research paper at some point in your career as a student. You may have either loved or loathed your experience but I’m going to give you a tip that might help you on your next outing as a student/researcher: the Library. Now, I realize that many of you may already be “hip” to the library and the printed word but I really haven’t been. While I value the printed word you’re unable to search for terms in the text… instead they have this time consuming and clumsy thing called an index… and it doesn’t even include all of the search terms I might want to find. Why, then, would I advocate for the library?
The library doesn’t so much have hyperlinks as it does physical location. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been researching on a certain topic and found exactly what I was looking for in the section I found a less worthy book in. I’ve got to say that books are incredible things for that reason alone… the finding of them. There are, however, other reasons. For now just realize that books don’t have to be scary things… and the added bonus is that no one can delete them when they’re in physical form.