If a patron asks you to help them find an article in one of the library's databases, it is best to direct them to the Reference assistant at the Learning Commons desk, or refer them to the Reference Librarian on call.
Databases can be complicated to search and they change on a regular basis. Reference Librarians make it their business to know these databases backwards and forwards and they are they to help!
Librarians arrange items in academic libraries using two main classification systems, the Library of Congress Classification System and the Superintendent of Documents Classification System.
The Library of Congress (LC) Classification System is used to arranged all the items in the University Reference, Bookstacks, and IMC collections.
The Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) Classification System is used to arranged the Government Documents Collection.
For more information on the LC Classification System go to the tab entitled "Library of Congress Classification System."
For more information on the SuDoc Classification Sytem go the tab entitled "SuDoc Classification System."
As a student worker, library patrons may approach you and ask for help finding and locating a library item. It is very important that you understand how SOUTHcat, the library catalog for the libraries at the University of South Alabama, works in order to help them.
This guide is an introduction to accessing and using the different searches on SOUTHcat.
