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Electronic Resources for Finding Books

The WorldCat Database

  • This database is the world's largest bibliographic database.
  • This database features records of holdings of over 10,000 libraries from all over the world.
  • This databases tells you which library owns a copy of the item that you are looking for.

Question 3

In WorldCat, search for Nicholas Seidler.

  • What is the title of the thesis he wrote?
  • When was it written?
  • Where can you find it? (To find the location, scroll down to the section titled Find a copy in the library.)


Knovel Engineering & Scientific Online References

  • Knovel is a new, unique, and outstanding electronic book and database service that provides full text and interactive access to standard reference books and standard texts in engineering, scientific and technical areas.
  • Knovel provides access to books on the following Architectural Engineering and Construction subject areas: cement, concrete, and masonry materials; civil and construction engineering; recycling; structural engineering; and wood.

Question 4
In Knovel, do a search for net and gross areas. Narrow the search so that it only displays MSOE's subscriptions by clicking "My Subscriptions" at the top of the page.  One of the search results should be the 2009 ASHRAE Handbook. Section 17.6.4 Building Data has a good definition of net area. To view this, click on the PDF Text link on the right side of the page, and look under the Component Areas section. Copy the definition of net area into question 4.


Library of Congress

  • Don't neglect the Library of Congress when searching for materials. "The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, and it serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 120 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves. The collections include more than 18 million books, 2.5 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.5 million maps, and 54 million manuscripts" (see Dr. James, H. Billington, "About the Library: Welcome from the Office of the Librarian," [Internet, WWW], ADDRESS: http://www.loc.gov/about/ [Accessed: 10 December 2002]).
  • The Library of Congress collects an immense amount of material. "The growth of the collections is relentless. Materials come to the Library through an acquisitions program that extends throughout the world and includes over fifteen thousand agreements with foreign governments and research institutions for the exchange of research materials; gifts; purchases; transfers from other U.S. government agencies; and copyright deposits. Each day about thirty-one thousand items arrive at the Library; approximately seven thousand of these items will become part of the permanent collections" (see Library of Congress, 9 September 2002, "Jefferson's Legacy: A Brief History of the Library of Congress. Collections," [Internet, WWW], ADDRESS: http://www.loc.gov/loc/legacy/colls.html [Accessed: 10 December 2002]).
  • "The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations" (see Dr. James, H. Billington, "About the Library: Welcome from the Office of the Librarian," [Internet, WWW], ADDRESS: http://www.loc.gov/about/ [Accessed: 10 December 2002]).

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