Quick Tools
TAFEcat
TAFE NSW Library Catalogue
Western Institute Libguides
Western Institute library guides and resource portal
YourTutor
Online Tutorial Support
TAFE Studylinks
Internet sites which provide a good starting point for TAFE students and an easy introduction to the Internet.
Finding Information Online
Compiled by Western Institute of TAFE Libraries
TAFEcat
TAFEcat is the TAFE Library Systems Catalogue. It is available at all TAFE Libraries and also from home via the internet.
The address is http://tafecat.tafensw.edu.au/tafecat.html
TAFEcat holds the details of all resources including books, magazines, maps, DVD's and so on for every TAFE Library in NSW. The items in the library are arranged by the Dewey decimal system. The Dewey number plus the authors surname is called the CALL NUMBER and is how you find the book on the shelf.
TAFE Western Library Libguides
TAFE Western Library Libguides are a collection of resources developed for specific topics or subject areas. It is available at all TAFE Libraries and also from home via the internet.
The address is http://wit.tafensw.libguides.com/index.php
Libguides is a constantly growing resource of links, guides and online materials developed by teachers and librarians to support students and teachers.
My Library Record
You will need to have your TAFECard and a library pin to access your personal information and order books. By logging on you can find out what items you have borrowed and when they are due, what reservations have been placed for you and their availability. You can also ensure your address and email details are correct. Ask at the library desk about your library pin.
eResources
TAFE NSW libraries have purchased statewide subscriptions to online books. Access to these eBooks requires a Student e-Services username and password for TAFE NSW Students and a DET Portal username and password for TAFE NSW Staff. If you do not have a username or password you will need to register either online or at the campus administration.
To access E-Resources click on the link below.
New eResources available through TAFEcat
To access any of these resources or to view a more complete list you can either click the link above or contact your local library for more information.
ANZRC - Australian and New Zealand Reference Centre
ANZRC combines Australian and New Zealand magazines, newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald, newswires and reference books to create a large collection of full text content.
MasterFILE Premier is available also. This database provides full text for nearly 1,950 general reference publications.
ProQuest Central
ProQuest provides access to more than 125 billion digital pages covering arts, literature, social science, general reference, business, science, technology, and medicine. ProQuest includes the world's largest digital newspaper archive and periodical databases comprising the output of more than 9,000 titles.
Environment Complete + Sustainability Reference Centre + Art & Architecture Complete
Environment Complete offers deep coverage in applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. The database contains full text for more than 680 journals and 120 monographs
PlantFile
PlantFile Online contains detailed information on more than 3000 plants, 20,000+ images of plants, insects & diseases.
Australian Standards
Western Institute staff and students now have immediate access to all Australian standards, via their nearest Western Institute Library. This service offers a cost-effective and convenient way of accessing Australian Standards anytime, from any library within the Institute. To obtain a full copy of an Australian Standard please ask at the library desk.
The Internet
The size of the World Wide Web is enormous and expanding rapidly. There is a great deal of extremely useful information out there but finding quality information on a particular subject can be very difficult and time consuming. However, there is an array of research tools you can use to locate the information you want.
Search engines
The internet is not like a library, with shelves of well organised books. Simply browsing the internet is unlikely to find you the information you need, so in order to find the resources you want for your research project, you will need, at some point, to use a search engine. When you are using a search engine it's important to clearly define your keywords. Don't forget, you need to be specific rather than general when entering your search terms. eg Google, Yahoo.
Meta Search Engines
In a meta-search engine, you submit keywords in its search box, and it transmits your search simultaneously to several search engines and their databases of web pages. Within a few seconds, you get back results from all the search engines queried. eg Dog Pile, Meta Crawler.
Directories
One of the easiest and safest methods of researching for relevant resources is by using Directories that have already been vetted by other organisations. Directories are collections of resources organised into categories. Sometimes the directory will focus on one subject area, others may collect and organise resources in a number of areas. eg Best of the Web Directory, Librarians Internet Index, Open Directory.
Databases
Full text information from a variety of print sources can be found in our databases. Try ANZRC.
Evaluating Websites
Finding the information you want on the Internet is only the first step. There is a lot of material available, but not all of it is equally reliable and useful. Ask yourself these questions:
- Who is the author or publisher of this web site?
- Does the author state the purpose of this web site?
- Does the page show the date it was created or updated?
- Is there another web site or print source that gives/agrees with this information?
Referencing WWW Resources
You need to include:
- The author's name (if known)
- the full title of the work
- the title of the complete work if applicable
- the document date if known
- the full URL
- the date of visit.
Don't forget to ask the library staff if you need assistance
