FAQs ....

What is a peer reviewed journal?
In a peer reviewed journal, articles are examined by experts in the field to determine their merit. These experts will read the work and determine the accuracy of statements made, citations, etc. Peer reviewed journals are often scholarly in nature, but may also be trade journals and reviewed by people who work in a particular field – chemistry, automotive, etc.

What is a refereed journal?
A refereed journal is another name for peer reviewed.

What is a scholarly journal?
A professional/scholarly/academic title deals with an area of academic research or study. It reports original research or experimentation. It is written by and for scholars in the field.  It uses terminology (words, jargon, buzzwords) that would be familiar to researchers in the field. The format is plain, and there may be photographs, graphs, or charts that refer back to the information being discussed.  There will be sources cited, usually in the form of footnotes, end notes, or bibliographies. Normally these types of periodicals are produced on a monthly or quarterly schedule.  Another hint: you can not pick them up in a grocery store or book store. Not all, but many scholarly journals are also refereed or peer reviewed journals.

You may wish to consult sources such as Magazines for Libraries (REF PN 4832 M23) for help in determing the type of periodical (CNU Students, Faculty and Staff may consult Ulrich's Periodicals Directory online.) Also, look at the database search screen. Many databases such as those on Infotrac Web and Proquest allow users to limit searches to a particular type of journal, scholarly or otherwise.

What are reserves?
My professor says there is an article or book on reserve that I need for class.
When a professor places material "on reserve" he or she is making a particular item available specifically for students in the class. Reasons for placing items on reserve include
  … to stop all books on a particular topic from being checked out of the Library by one person.
  … to allow students to access old tests, quizzes, or study materials for review.
  … so students don't have to purchase so many books for a class, especially when they only need to read one or two chapters.
  … when the textbook doesn't arrive in the bookstore on time or when there are not enough copies of the textbook available for purchase.

Some items are available on e-reserve, or online through the online catalog (search by professor's last name or by the course number). For others, especially books, you will need to go to the Library's circulation desk and borrow the materials. Loan periods for reserve items are typically much shorter than for items from the Library's regular collection. Professors determine the loan period and it can vary from 2 hours to 7 days.

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How do I find a book?
To find a book available at this Library, consult the online catalog which may be searched by author, title, subject, keyword, isbn, or call number. Limiting features are also available when you do an Advanced search.

To find a book in another library, CNU students, faculty and staff may use WorldCat through FirstSearch. It can be searched in similar ways to the online catalog, as well as additional options. Please note that this does not tell you if the book is currently checked out of a particular library. You will need to contact the owning library for this information. Alternatively, CNU-affiliated patrons may use the interlibrary loan service.

How do I find articles on my topic?
The best way to locate articles is to use an online database or a print index associated with a particular topic. The Library's Databases by Subject page will assist you in determining the best database choices.

How do I find electronic reserves for my class?
Access e-reserves via the online catalog. You can search by your professor's last name or by the course number. To access the material, you will use your last name as login and your barcode as the password. Your barcode is available from the Library's circulation desk. (Phone number: 757-594-7133)

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How do I get access to the Library's resources from home or off campus?
Remote or off-campus access is limited to those who are affiliated with the University. CNU students, staff and faculty may access the Library's resources off campus but first, users must have a barcode on the back of their CNU I.D. A barcode is available from the Library's circulation desk. (Phone number: 757-594-7133) Using this barcode number as the password and their last name as the login, any of databases listed on the Library's home page or Databases A to Z page are available for use.

IMPORTANT: AOL, MSN, or other Internet browsers do not work with remote access. Please use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Mozilla's Firefox.

Unfortunately, due to contracts with vendors, if you are not a currently enrolled student, current faculty member or current staff member at CNU we can not provide you with off-campus access. Please consult with your home school or local public library about access to resources. Also consult the Find it Virginia Project (http://www.finditva.com/) through which you can obtain access to many databases from home with a Virginia public library card.

How do I get my Library books renewed?
There are two options for renewing your books.

• Call the circulation desk (757-594-7133) and the staff can renew books over the phone.
• Access your account online, click on "View/Renew Your Items" and renew the items yourself.

How do I get the hold taken off my account so I can register for classes?
Holds are usually placed on accounts when there are fines in excess of $5.00 or numerous items that have been overdue for long periods. Stop by the circulation desk to return the books and pay the fines. Notify them that you have a hold on your account and they will see to it that it is removed.

If you feel the hold is in error or you need to make arrangements regarding payment, please ask to speak with a supervisor who can then assist you with special requests.

How do I get the full text of an article?
Use Journal Finder to determine if the library provides access (print, online, microform or cd-rom) to the journal title that you need (not the article title.) If the online icon is available, click on it and see if the date you need is available (if yes, click the link to locate your article online). If the print icon is available, click on it to see a record for the library's holdings and the journal's location in print, microform, and cd-rom format.

Unfortunately, not all articles are accessible through this library. CNU affiliated patrons may submit an interlibrary loan request for any materials that we do not have available.

How do I get books (or any material) from other libraries?
CNU affiliated patrons may submit an interlibrary loan request for any materials that we do not have available. Those patrons may also obtain a Virginia Tidewater Consortium card, which will allow them to go to area libraries and access materials directly from other local college and university libraries – such as William and Mary or Old Dominion.

If you are not affiliated with CNU, please contact your local public library about obtaining materials.

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How do I print in the Library?
There are printing instructions available for students (pdf) and for community patrons (pdf), as well as a Print System FAQ.doc.

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How do I cite resources using MLA, APA, Turabian, etc.?
The library has guides and books available for citing resources. You may also wish to consult some of these online resources for help. Also, consider using the Alice Randall Writing Center for help with writing your paper and citing sources.

Does the Library have all of my text books?
We are sorry, but the library does not provide access to all textbooks. The cost of the books and turn-over in editions is prohibitive to our purchasing them every year.

Sometimes the books used in class are available in the library collection. Check the online catalog by author or title. Sometimes your professor may place a copy of the textbook on reserve. You can check to see if it is on reserve through the online catalog's reserve system by searching for your professor's last name and/or your course number. (e-reserve Help.pdf)

Please consult with the CNU Bookstore for information on purchasing textbooks for your classes.

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My question isn't here - who can I ask for help?
Please call the Reference Department at 757-594-7132 or e-mail the library at library@cnu.edu. We will be happy to try to assist you with your information needs.

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Last modified February 2008