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Using The

Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature

The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature is a print index to hundreds of periodicals; it is green and located in the index carrels in the middle of the Reference section. You can search for an author’s name, or by subject-keyword. The front section lists which periodicals are indexed.

1.       Identify your topic, and be as specific as possible. One example is “Environmental Policy”.

2.       Locate this subject in Reader’s Guide. You will find something similar to this:

                Environmental Policy: See also

                                Air Pollution—Laws and Regulations

                                Energy Policy—Environmental Aspects

                                Pesticide—Laws and Regulations

                                Pollution

                                Wilderness Areas

This means that there will be articles under “Environmental Policy”  AND the other subject areas listed.

3.       Read through the article citations, copying those you want. For example, under Environmental

Policy, see: “Coasts in Crisis.”  Bibl. Issues in Science and Technology  v12 p39-47 Summer 96.

Under “Pollution—Russia”, see: “Russia’s Legacy of Death.”  Il Natl Wildlife v34 p 36-41 Je/Jl 96.

4. Interpret the citation. The above citations mean that the first article “Coasts in Crisis” is found in the journal “Issues in Science and Technology”, volume 12, Summer 1996, pages 39-47. The second article is found in “National Wildlife”, volume 34, June/July 1996,  pages 36-4l.

5.       Locate the source. The PCC Library's periodicals list is available on our main web page at /CampusResources/Library Checking this list indicates that the Library does not have “Issues in Science and Technology”  but does have National Wildlife.

                National Wildlife                  Vol. 18—(l980--) M              C/U, RG

This means the Library collection of National Wildlife begins with Vol. 18 (l980) and continues to the present. “M” indicates microfilm format; “L”  means loose (unbound), and “B”  means bound. It is indexed on CARL/UnCover and in the Reader’s Guide.

6.       If the Library has the periodical you need, write the citation on a “Periodicals Request Form”  (in

baskets near the indexes) and give it to the staff at the Circulation desk for retrieval. Also check EBSCO Host, our full text periodical database online at /CampusResources/Library/OnlineResources/PeriodicalsOnline.htm If you are off-campus, select the right column ("off-campus access") and provide your PCC Library card number.

7. If the article you need is not available at PCC, ask the Library staff for assistance in completing an interlibrary loan form. The PCC Library borrows from and lends to other libraries, and we will locate this article for you. You should plan on up to two weeks to receive it, however, since we don't know who will provide it.