Ask a Librarian

The Center for Dubuque History is located in the Academic Resource Center/Library, on the lowest level. Hours are somewhat irregular; for best results, email archivist Mike Gibson for an appointment.

Perhaps. We have developed research guides for several courses. If your course is not on the list, check the subject guides for a research guide for the major.

Yes. The Library has the New York Times from 1851–2008 on microfilm. Dubuque newspapers (including the Telegraph-Herald) dating from 1836–present are also on microfilm, as are a few old newspapers from the Iowa towns of Cascade, Dyersville, and Farley, and the Illinois town of Galena.

For more information, see the list of titles posted on the microfilm cabinets.

"PsycInfo" is a very versitile database with more than 3 million records devoted to peer-reviewed literature in the behavioral sciences and mental health. For details, go to the library's PsycInfo tutorial.

Yes, the federal government is going online in a big way. Check out FDsys (which stands for Federal Digital System) for material from all three branches of government. For details, go to the library's tutorial to FDsys.

The book Luxembourgers in the New World Vol. 2 contains the only index to surnames to the Luxemburger Gazette newspaper. The Loras Library has 2 sets of the microfilm.  We loan out one set via inter-library loan and the other set is kept in the microfiche cabinets for use here at Loras.  If a patron wants a scan or photocopy of a certain page of surnames the Loras College archivist Mike Gibson can oblige, but is unable to look up the actual citations in the newspapers and print/scan a certain page(s). To borrow the microfilm, contact the interlibrary loan department of your local library.

Note: The Luxembourg government is considering scanning the microfilm of the newspaper which would either be available on-line or put on a site where there would be a fee to access it. Stay tuned.

We have a great database for finding information on Beethoven and other musicians or music topics. It’s called Grove Music Online.

"GreenFILE" offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. For details, go to the library's tutorial on GreenFILE.

Supreme court cases can be found online and in print. Go to the library's research guide for court cases for directions and links.

Loras Library shelves bound volumes of Supreme Court opinions in two locations, depending on the date:

"Business Source Premier" provides full text for more than 2,300 journals, including full text for more than 1,100 peer-reviewed titles. All disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics are included. For more details, go to the library's tutorial for Business Source Premier.

Yes and no.

The library's catalog is available from on and off campus.

Other library databases, such as those linking to articles and ebooks, are available in the library building only, per our licenses with the database vendors. You may visit the Loras College Library and access the databases by using our public desktop computer stations near the check-out desk.

For a description of other library services for alumni, go the the Alumni Services Info Guide.

Yes. We have “Free Magazine” shelves located in the Reading Room on the third floor of the Library. Just bring the magazines you’d like to donate to the Check Out Desk. Each week, new free magazines are added.

Old yearbooks (The Purgold) and student newspapers (The Lorian) are kept in the Loras College Archives on first floor. There are also copies of yearbooks and student newspapers in the main stacks.

The Purgold is located on second floor at call number 378.777P C723P. The Lorian is located in the Oversize area on first floor at call number 378.777q C723C Lo.

The Center for Dubuque History, located on first floor, maintains the largest collection of local history resources in the tri-state region, featuring a large photograph collection, maps, art work, local business and organizational records, letters, manuscripts, diaries, post cards, oral histories, government records, and published books related to the Dubuque area and the Upper Mississippi River lead mining region.

Also included are numerous reference materials useful to genealogical researchers including state and federal census data, plat books, old newspapers, obituary files, city directories, individual family histories, etc.

Please make an appointment in advance to use the collection. Contact: Michael Gibson, Center for Dubuque History Director (563) 588-7163 michael.gibson@loras.edu

Yes! Start with American FactFinder, from the U. S. Bureau of the Census, which provides access to data about the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. It is an important source for population, housing, economic and geographic information. The data in American FactFinder come from several government-sponsored censuses and surveys. For details on how to use American Factfinder, go to the library's tutorial on American Factfinder.

If you're a least a sophomore, and have declared a major, you have a "personal librarian" here at Loras College Library. Which librarian is your Personal librarian is determined by your major. Visit "Your Personal Librarian" to learn more about the program, and to determine yours!

Great! Take a look at our guide to staff services. Hope to see you in the library soon!

Check out our research guide for ENG 111: Critical Writing.  In particular, be sure to check out the database Literature Resource Center.  You can do a Person Search to find articles about a particular author, or a Works Search to find articles about a particular novel, story, or poem.

Good question! Look for the "find full text" link in the database, and click it to find an alternate path to your full-text article.

This tutorial "How to Access the Full Text of Articles" gives you the details.

To answer basic questions about copyright, the library maintains an information guide on copyright.