General Tips

• Ask for help.  Librarians are able to clarify your information needs, assist you in finding the best possible resources, and instruct you in using the online catalog and electronic databases.
• Come prepared.  Bring your library card or ID to check out books and pick up or place holds.  Having note-taking supplies and money for copying and printing on hand is also helpful.
• Give yourself plenty of time.  Homework and research can be a multi-step process.  Sometimes you may  have to wait for items to come from another library.
• Learn the layout of the library.  Ask a librarian for a quick tour.  Books are divided by fiction and nonfiction; the nonfiction is organized by Dewey Decimal Classification (PDF; Adobe Acrobat required).  The library also has other types of materials such as videos, DVDs, CDs, and books on tape and CD.
• Anticipate change and innovation.  The public library is a dynamic environment!  Collections and resources are constantly changing.  Sometimes the shelving arrangement for materials changes too; ask for assistance if you can't find something.

Research Tips

• Look for books on your topic.  Start your research with a general overview from an encyclopedia or other reference book.  Search the online catalog for books on your topic.  Browse the shelves for similar titles.
• Search for articles from newspapers and magazines. Search for full-text articles in online databases available in eResources.  Ask a librarian how you can access these databases from home.  Databases are accessed via the net through an online connection to the Internet.  Like books, they are developed through a publishing process that assures their quality as opposed to information found on the net where anyone can be an author and there is little quality control.  This distinction is important to recognize when using online resources!  The library purchases access to these products to enhance the library's collection of available resources for our customers.
• Use the Internet.  The Internet offers a vast amount of information including the interactive ability to communicate with other people through email and chat resources.  Start your search with a subject directory such as the Michigan eLibrary, or broaden your search by using a search engine.  Be sure to evaluate what you find, taking into account the source of the information, timeliness, comprehensiveness and accuracy. 
• Give credit for your sources.  When writing a document, it is often necessary to cite your sources, including electronic sources.
• Utilize the library's facilities for quiet study.  Quiet study areas are available at CMPL libraries; ask a librarian about their use.