M E 2020: Professional Planning

Your librarian

Did you know that each discipline taught at Iowa State has a librarian? It's true!

These librarians are experts at finding information in a particular field or subject area. We can save you time and money by helping with:

• Choosing a database to search
• Developing keywords or a search strategy
• Obtaining paywalled articles
• Citation management
• Keeping your files organized
• Troubleshooting problems with search tools

How to get the most out of working with your librarian

Talk to them! When you send an email or schedule an appointment, let them know what you're working on. Here are some things it will be helpful for them to know:

• What your topic is
• What class (if any) your project is for
• What your project is - literature review, prior art search, design project, etc.
• Any requirements you might have - number or type of sources, etc.
• What (if anything) you have already tried - this will ensure they don't suggest something you've already tried
• When your assignment or project is due