Lesson #8 | The Citizen’s Guide to Research
The hero’s quest, part II
Ask any librarian or history buff about the Library of Alexandria, and I bet you their expression will be one of sorrow or lamentation.
The Library of Alexandria was an ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt, and it was destroyed in two separate attacks (by Julius Ceasar’s army and Aurelian, respectively). Constructed in 3 B.C., it was one of the most prolific libraries ever established at that point in human history, hosting thousands and thousands of scrolls containing ideas, musings, observations and understandings of the world. It’s destruction is still bitter to those who wonder: what did we lose when the Library of Alexandria was destroyed?
Luckily, there is some research consensus that much of the information housed in the library was moved to other facilities, so it’s possible that not as much was lost as initially believed.
But this prompts the question: what role does print and analog still play in a digital era?
We’re in an unprecedented era of digital information. In many ways, this is wonderful, as information and science has become much more accessible to people around the world. It’s hard to argue the positive impact of ebooks and digitized data.
But many researchers still see immense value in print information — for instance, original handwritten documents, photographs, or maps — and any savvy citizen researcher should still have the skills to navigate through institutions of print or analog information.
Understanding library cataloguing systems
Today we’re continuing our lesson about finding research. When is the last time you visited your local library?
Depending on the type of library you visited (a university library, for example), the call system (or classification system) you used to find information may vary. Two of the most common classification systems are the Dewey Decimal System (DDC) and the Library of Congress (LC or LoC). These systems were named after their originators: Melvil Dewey, who created the DDC in 1876, and the Library of Congress, which established the LC system.
(There are more classification systems, many of which are specific to countries or languages; however, these are likely the ones you will encounter in the U.S).
According to the National Library Board, the differences between these two systems is based on library size:
DDC is divided into 10 classes, or broad subjects, thus limiting the number and variety of call numbers that can be assigned to the books. This is better suited for libraries with a smaller collection, such as school libraries or public libraries.
LC, on the other hand, has 21 numbers, which allows for more call numbers and hence a greater variety and number of books, such as in large academic libraries.
— National Library Board
When you’re planning a research visit to a library, visit their website or call to see which classification they use. Libraries also have classification references, often right on the shelves, to help guide your search.
Click on the following to become acquainted with the classes of each of these systems:
List of Dewey Decimal System classes
List of Library of Congress classes
(For fun, if you want to test your knowledge of DDC, take this quiz.)
Your research visit will also depend on what type of media you’re looking for. Print resources (besides books) you may encounter include:
- Maps
- Photographs
- Microfiche
- Encyclopedias
- Films
- Recorded audio
- Print journals
- Magazines
- Physical items (such as pieces of art, archaeological findings, etc.)
These items are often hosted in different parts of a library, and some may require librarian assistance (such as using a microfiche machine).
Visiting specialty libraries and museums
Not all libraries house a general collection of materials. Many institutions are specialty or niche facilities, which means they specialize in a topic or field.
Visiting a library or museum with a dedicated interest is really helpful when doing research. Not only do you have access to information directly related to your topic, but the librarians or curators who work there are specialists, too.
For example, New York City alone has more than 50 specialty libraries and museums, including:
- General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen Library
- Lesbian Herstory Archives
- Museum of Sex
- Conjuring Arts (about, yes, magic)
- Museum of Mathematics
If your research interests are in a niche field, libraries and museums in the same field can help guide your research without having to wade through everything else.
Conducting research abroad
Even with the wealth of information online, many researchers still travel for work; not all libraries or museums have digital catalogs, and some resources simply must be visited in person. As you can imagine, this presents some unique challenges, especially if you travel to places that use languages other than your own. Some recommendations for conducting research abroad:
- Keep a translation app handy. While a translation app doesn’t replace the benefit of having an actual human translator, it can help alleviate some of the stress of navigating through a foreign catalog. Google’s translation app, for example, can translate words in real time using your phone camera.
- Study their cataloguing system. Like I mentioned earlier, classification systems vary internationally, so this is one thing you can study ahead of time to be more prepared when you get there.
- Reach out ahead of time. Communicate with researchers, locals, or scholars in the region you’re visiting. They may offer to help with translation, or help you navigate through local collections.
- Document your findings the best you can. If you’re visiting a library or museum temporarily, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to bring their resources back with you. Be ready to document your findings thoroughly: take pictures, scan documents, and record ideas so that you don’t miss anything when you return home.
Working with librarians
It’s important to remember the most valuable part about doing research in libraries vs. online: librarians! Librarians are experts at finding information; this is why their profession requires a Master’s degree, at the very least. Specialists tend to have additional degrees in the field of their choosing.
- Be specific. Librarians are smart, but they’re not mind readers. Share with them specific information for what you’re seeking: topic, author, title, etc.
- Be transparent. They are there to help you, so be clear with what you research question is. They can direct you to resources you may not have considered.
- Be respectful of their expertise. I’ll never forget when a teacher said to me, “I thought librarians were like cashiers.” A librarian is not just someone who puts books on a shelf (and those who do reshelve books also deserve respect!); librarians are researchers in their own right, and they know their library’s collection better than anyone. This knowledge is invaluable to fellow researchers.
- Take care of their library. When you’re visiting a library, be kind to their resources; don’t write in books, break machinery, or make a mess. Libraries serve many people, so be a nice patron.
There are many stereotypes about who librarians are: stuffy old ladies with lots of cats and no sense of humor. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. People who become librarians come from diverse backgrounds and interests, and are linked by a passion for information and learning. In my experience, as a card-holding American Library Association member, they tend to identify with this:
