The library provides access to a variety of resources to support your work; to help you learn more about these resources and how to find them, browse the resources list and select a resource type to learn more.
Children’s Books
The library has a variety of fiction and non-fiction children's books, also known as "juvenile literature." To find children’s books using library search, enter your search terms (e.g. unicorn AND game) or search for a work by title (e.g. “Betty Bunny loves chocolate cake”). On the results page, you can limit to the Juvenile literature collection using the "Refine your Search" option; select "Juvenile" from the Collection options to see results from the MacEwan Library's Juvenile literature collection.
Each result will include availability information (see above). Most titles will be located in the Library’s Children's Collection, which is located on the west side of the main floor of the MacEwan library. For more information, visit the Early Childhood Curriculum Studies Subject Guide.
Dissertations and Thesis
Dissertations and theses are lengthy research reports completed as part of an advanced degree program (e.g., an MA or PhD). They are often shared online in institutional repositories for anyone to access.
While not formally peer-reviewed or published, these resources can provide additional context to a topic, important insights into different research methodologies and theoretical approaches, and browsing through the works they cite can be a great way to find relevant resources on a topic.
Find Dissertations and Theses
The MacEwan library subscribes to several dissertations and theses databases. Follow the directions below to find and search these databases.
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Dissertations and Theses"
- You will now see all of our databases that feature dissertations and theses
- Review the descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your information needs
Additional Information
- Visit MacEwan’s institutional repository, RO@M, to explore undergraduate theses produced by former MacEwan students
- To deposit an undergraduate thesis produced at MacEwan, visit our Research Repositories page
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
When beginning a research project, start with an encyclopedia or a dictionary. They can help you learn more about your topic, define terminology, come up with keywords to search for in library databases, and find additional sources of information among the works they cite. Unlike academic encyclopedias and dictionaries focus on a certain topic or discipline and the entries are often written by subject specialists.
Find Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Handbooks”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
- Look for discipline-specific encyclopedias by visiting the Subject Guide for your discipline and looking at the "Encyclopedias" page of the guide
- To explore encyclopedias and dictionaries in the physical collection, use the MacEwan Library Search. Be sure to include the terms encyclopedia or dictionary along with relevant keywords (e.g., gender AND encyclopedia) and then use the options to the left of search results to limit to books in MacEwan’s collection. Most of these titles are located in their own reference section on the west side of the main floor of the MacEwan Library
Additional Information
Images
Whether for review, critique, or inclusion in scholarly and creative pursuits, the library can help you locate images for your work.
Find Images
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Images”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
Find Copyright-Friendly Images
Visit the Library’s Copyright-Friendly Sources Guide to locate images that can be used freely in teaching, research, and creative pursuits without requiring permission from a copyright holder.
Additional Information
Geospatial Data
Geospatial data is data that is related to a physical location on Earth. Geospatial data can allow you to map your data and see geographic relationships.
Find Geospatial Data
- Geospatial Data Catalogue - Browse and download GIS data subscribed to by the MacEwan Library. DMTI includes data for all of Canada including street files, address points, postal codes, and more. GEODE includes cadastral files, boundary files and more for Alberta. SSV is satellite street view and includes satellite images of Canada
- GeoDiscover Alberta - View and analyze geospatial data from the Government of Alberta
- GeoGratis - Free maps, data and publications from Natural Resources Canada
- GeoSearch (Statistics Canada) - Interactive mapping application for Statistics Canada
Additional Information
Government Information
Many governments around the world share information and research online that they have collected and used to govern and make transparent decisions. This information includes things like data and statistics, reports, legal documents, and committee proceedings.
Find Government Information
Use Google to locate freely available government information:
- Find the website for the government, or government agency, you wish to search
- Using its web domain, go to Google and perform a site search
- Enter site: followed by the web domain and keywords (e.g., site:alberta.ca cannabis legalization, or site:statcan.gc.ca divorce)
Additional Information
Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are standalone works similar to comic books that tell stories and convey information using images and text.
Find Graphic Novels
To search the Library's graphic novel collection, go to the Library's Search, enter your search terms, then use the "refine your search" options select "Graphic Novels" from the "Collections" list.
To browse the Library’s graphic novels collection in person, go to the west side of the main floor of MacEwan’s John L. Haar Library and look for the Graphic Novels sign on the book stacks just past the children’s collection.
Additional Information
Microfilm & Microfiche
MacEwan Library has a small collection of microfilm and microfiche, also known as microform, providing archival access to information unavailable in other formats, including backfiles of select periodicals. A ScanPro Reader is available on-site for use by MacEwan students, faculty and staff to view microfilm and microfiche.
Access Information on Microform
If you come across something using our library search that is only available on microfilm or microfiche:
- Locate the item using its call number. Microfilm beginning with the call number XX are located in the cabinets near the periodicals collection on the second floor of the library
- Read the microfilm or microfiche using the ScanPro Reader, also located in this section of the library
- Pages can be viewed, scanned and saved to a USB key by following the instructions provided beside the reader
Music
From CDs to streaming audio to sheet music to vinyl, the library has an extensive music collection.
Find Music
Use the main Library Search to search for music by keyword (e.g., jazz AND contemporary), by artist (e.g., "Dizzy Gillespie"), or by album title (e.g., “Purple Rain”).
Limit to “Audio” or “Music Scores” under Source Type to the left of your search results. Each result will include availability information (visit the Find Resources – Books page for more information).
Note that physical copies of CDs are arranged in their own section on the main floor of John L. Haar Library. Music Scores are found in the “M” section on the second floor of the library.
Explore Streaming Audio Collections
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Audio”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
Additional Information
Newspapers
The library provides online access to local, national and international newspapers that include current and historic information.
Search newspaper databases:
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “News”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
Search newspaper subscriptions by keyword:
- Use Library Search to search for news articles using keywords (e.g., COVID-19 AND Alberta)
- Limit to “News” under Source Type to the left of your search results
Additional Information
- L-Pass – register for access to newspaper subscriptions through Edmonton Public Library
Primary Historical Resources
Primary historical resources include records or artifacts produced during or shortly after a particular event, experience or time period by those who participated in or witnessed the event.
Examples include speeches, interviews, letters, census records, diaries, newspaper articles, government documents, clothing, photographs, posters, paintings, maps, court records, poems, plays, television and radio broadcasts.
Find Primary Historical Resources
To locate primary source materials in the main Library Search, add words like documents, diaries, letters, personal narratives or correspondence to other relevant search terms e.g., ("cold war" AND letters).
Search Google for Primary Sources
Many libraries and archives have digitized their primary document collections. Use a search engine like Google to find these collections.
Use the term "primary documents" or "primary sources" or “digital exhibition” or “digital collection” with your search terms (e.g., "primary documents" women suffrage Canada).
Explore Primary Historic Resource Databases
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Primary Historical Databases”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
Additional Information
Videos
The library provides access to an extensive collection of DVDs and online streaming videos.
Search for Videos
Use Library Search to search for videos by keyword (e.g., schools AND bullying), or by title (e.g., “Indian Horse”).
Limit to “Videos” under Source Type to the left of your search results.
Explore Streaming Video Collections
- Visit the library’s Find a Database page
- Beside Find by Type, select “Videos and Images”
- Review descriptions for each database listed to ensure it meets your needs
Additional Information
Zines
MacEwan Library has a growing collection of zines. These self-published, do-it-yourself magazines include original and appropriated materials and focus on a range of topics, from subcultures to social theory to art and design.
Find Zines
To explore the Library's zine collection, search for "zines -- Specimens" in the Library Search, or go to the Library's Advanced Search, limit to “Zines” under Special Collections, and perform a keyword search.
The library's Zine collection is located on the main floor of the library near the spiral staircase in building 7; to view the collection's location on our library map, select "Zines" from the "Show Collection" dropdown list.
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