Where you look for sources will depend on the type of source you need. Explore three places to search for sources:
There are several places to search for sources on the Library website.
Click on each of the Library Resources below to learn when to use each and what types of sources you will find.
The search box on the library homepage is helpful for general research. It only searches about 80% of the library collection though, so we recommend combining this search method with others below to ensure you find all relevant resources.
Types of Sources:
Academic Articles
Books and eBooks
Streaming Media and DVDs
News Articles
Audiobooks
The A-Z Database List helps you find the best databases for your research. The library subscribes to general and subject specific databases.
Filter the A-Z Database List by subject to find databases relevant to your field and read the descriptions to better understand what types of sources are available in each database. Different databases will hold different types of source.
Types of Sources:
Academic Articles
Books and eBooks
Streaming Media and DVDs
News Articles
Audiobooks
Government Resources
.. and more!
The library's catalogue helps you find print books and DVDs that the library owns. Search our vast collection that is tailored to the specific programs at JIBC.
See something you want to borrow but can't make it into the New Westminster library? Email library@jibc.ca and we will mail the items to you for free.
Types of Sources
Books
DVDs
The library curates specialized Subject Guides to help you find the most relevant sources in your field. The guides are a mix of library resources and databases, along with publicly available websites. Each guide is tailored to meet the specific needs of a given subject.
Go to Subject GuidesSome courses at JIBC have specialized Course Guides. These are more specific than the Subject Guides as they are geared towards a particular course and/or assignment. Want to know if your course has an accompanying Course Guide?
Go to Course GuidesEvaluate Articles
Google Scholar is a great resource for finding academic journal articles, but you always need to evaluate the articles you find to make sure they are academic. The algorithm Google Scholar uses pulls all articles it categorizes as academic, but sometimes it makes mistakes and pulls non peer-reviewed articles or non-academic book chapters.
Interlibrary Loan
If you find an article on Google Scholar that has no PDF, email library@jibc.ca and ask for an interlibrary loan for the article. We will find the article at another library and email you a PDF free of charge. Please note that interlibrary loan can take several business days, so plan ahead.
Types of Sources:
Academic Articles
Conducting general internet searches should be used sparingly and only in specific situations, such as:
When using general websites, always make sure you evaluate the information you find. Even if an assignment allows non-academic sources, you still want to make sure you are using high quality and credible information. Review the Evaluating Sources module for more information.
Types of Sources:
Streaming Media
News Articles
Government Resources
Statistics
Unless otherwise noted, this guide is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).