Database of the month: Project Gutenberg

November 1, 2022 by Tracey

What it is:

Project Gutenberg is the oldest digital library with over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. You will find the world’s great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired. Thousands of volunteers digitized and diligently proofread the eBooks, for enjoyment and education.

Who it’s for: anyone interested in accessing 60000 free non-copyrighted eBooks

How to access it:

Access: Avondale Libraries Homepage

Choose: Databases

Click on P

Select Project Gutenberg

Special features:

Top 100 list

Project Guttenberg texts can be easily converted into accessible forms for the disabled, and volunteers for LibriVox create free audiobooks of Project Gutenberg works.

Project Gutenberg Australia hosts many texts that are public domain according to Australian copyright law, but still under copyright (or of uncertain status) in the United States, with a focus on Australian writers and books about Australia

Examples of available texts: Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, Great Expectations, Beowulf…Project Gutenberg has them all!

Exam tips & tricks

October 28, 2022 by Rebecca Hawken

The end of semester is drawing near, but exams are looming large on the horizon. Here are some handy hints to help you through.

Study space
* Organise your study space & block distractions such as social media
* Vary your study locations! – the library is a great place to concentrate
Revise effectively
* Vary revision techniques
* Use flashcards, diagrams, mind maps, rhymes, acronyms, ect.
* Speak revision notes out loud
* Watch a documentary on the topic
* Teach your course notes- friends, stuffed toys or the dog/ cat work well
* Explain answers to problems to others
* Study in groups- the library has some great study rooms for this. Book them here
Set a smart study schedule
* Set goals
* Study harder subjects when you are more awake
* Reward yourself at regular intervals – save the chocolate and lollies for larger goals
* Take regular breaks
Look after yourself
* Eat healthy
* Exercise
* Get a good night’s sleep- especially the night before
* Relax when tired or brain is overloaded
* Drink plenty of water
Plan exam day
* Know where and when your exam is to be held- how long will it take to get to the venue
* What do you need to take into the exam
* Collect necessary pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, etc. and have them ready the day before
* Have a full bottle of water ready

Finally know that you can do this- If you put the effort in you will be rewarded!

Database of the month October: JStor

October 1, 2022 by Tracey

What it is: A digital library of more than 1,900 academic journals, 19,000 books, and 2 million primary sources.

Who it’s for: undergraduate and postgraduate students, academics

How to access it:

Access: Avondale Libraries Homepage

Choose: Databases

Click on J

Select: JStor

Examples of available texts:

Special features: The JSTOR Understanding series

The JSTOR Understanding series is a research tool from JSTOR Labs that connects primary texts with journal articles and book chapters on JSTOR that cite those texts. This series includes the King James Bible.

How to use the JSTOR Understanding series

  1. Pick one works by browsing to it or searching for it by author or title.
  2. Read the work — you’ll notice as you do that next to each passage is a number.  That number represents the number of articles and chapters in JSTOR that quote that specific passage.
  3. Click on the passage you want to study.  You’ll see a new window with relevant articles and chapters.
  4. Research.  Look through the articles and chapters quoting your passage.  
    1. You can filter the results you’re seeing by date, content type or whether or not you have access to the documents.
    1. If you’re not sure based on the title and metadata of an article, you can preview how it discusses the passage by looking at the snippets or page-previews.
    1. When you find one you want to read, click the title to go to the article page (where the quoted passages will be highlighted in the text), download the PDF or save it to MyWorkspace

Database of the month: Grove Music Online

September 1, 2022 by Rebecca Hawken

What is it:

Grove Music Online is the world’s premier online music encyclopedia, offering comprehensive coverage of music, musicians, music-making, and music scholarship.

Written and edited by nearly 9,000 subject experts, Grove’s 51,000 articles offer clear overviews of topics from a scholarly perspective and include extensive bibliographies, which are curated to guide users through existing scholarship.

Who it’s for:

It is the perfect starting point for scholarly research, and teaching, but with a clear and engaging writing style, Grove is easily accessible to amateur music-lovers as well.

How to access it:

Access: Avondale Libraries Homepage

Choose: Databases

Click on G

Select: Grove Music Online

Special features:

Grove’s 33,000 biographical articles provide life information and detailed works lists for composers, performers, and other important musical figures. Grove Music Online also features more than 5,000 images, musical examples, and links to audio and video examples

Database of the month July: Database of Research on International Education

July 1, 2022 by Rebecca Hawken

What is it:

This searchable database is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and contains details of more than 16 200 books, articles, conference papers and reports on various aspects of international education from publishers in Australia and abroad.

Who it’s for:

Academics, researchers, international educators, policy makers and professionals with an interest in international education trends.

How to access it:

Access: Avondale Libraries Homepage

Choose: Databases

Click on D

Select: Database of Research on International Education

Database of the month June: Sage Research Methods

June 1, 2022 by Tracey

What is it:

SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. SAGE Research Methods is the ultimate methods library with more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher. The site is designed to guide users to the content they need to learn a little or a lot about their method. The Methods Map can help those less familiar with research methods to find the best technique to use in their research. Built upon SAGE’s legacy of methods publishing, SAGE Research Methods is the essential online tool for researchers.

Who it’s for:

Postgraduate students, undergraduate students with research components to their study, researchers, academics

How to access it:

Access Avondale Libraries homepage

Choose Databases

Click on R

Select Sage Research Methods

Special features:

  • Research tools such as the Methods Map, Project Planner, and Which Stats Test (located under Research Tools). The project planner is especially useful as it covers content across all research stages.
  • Full-text eBooks, journal articles, videos, case studies, data sets, dictionaries, and encyclopaedias.

Examples of available texts:

We Have a Brand New Database!

May 27, 2022 by Rebecca Hawken

Gale OneFile: Australia and New Zealand a newly formed database, provides authoritative, full-text content with a regional focus, complemented by global news, reference, and multimedia coverage. The database features a variety of magazines, journals, news, and multimedia sources (images, videos, and audio files) across academic disciplines and areas of interest, covering important issues and current events related to Australia and New Zealand.

Topics covered in this database:

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Business and Industry
  • Economics
  • Health & Medicine
  • History
  • Journalism
  • Languages and Linguistics
  • Political Science
  • Science & Technology
  • Social Sciences

Check out this our new database here

Database of the month May: CINAHL Complete

May 1, 2022 by Tracey

What is it:

CINAHL Database provides indexing of the top nursing and allied health literature available including nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses Association. Literature covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.

In addition, CINAHL Database provides access to health care books, nursing dissertations, selected conference proceedings, standards of practice, audiovisuals and book chapters. It includes full-text journals, legal cases, clinical innovations, critical paths, research instruments and clinical trials.

Who it’s for:

Undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students, nursing academics.

How to access it:

Access Avondale Libraries Homepage

Choose Databases

Select the letter C

Select CINAHL Complete- Nursing

Special features:

  • Quick lessons, evidence-based care sheets, images.

Examples of available texts:

Referencing Refresher

April 8, 2022 by Tracey

Need a referencing refresher? Check out these links below!

APA style

Avondale University APA Referencing Guide

Official APA website

Turabian style

Avondale University Turabian Referencing Guide

Official Turabian website

MLA style

Avondale University MLA Referencing Guide

Official MLA website

Database of the month- Business Collection

April 1, 2022 by Rebecca Hawken

What is it:

The Informit Business Collection is an essential resource for business studies, covering theoretical and practical aspects of business in multiple contexts. The Collection contains content to assist students, researchers and business practitioners to better understand the dynamic, global environment in which today’s businesses operate. This 100% full text database covers a range of contemporary business issues including business law, economics, employment, finance, management, organisational psychology, taxation and training, from 1983 to the current time. (NSW.net, n.d.)

Who it’s for:

Students, academics and researchers interested in business related issues.

How to access it:

Go to Avondale Libraries Homepage

Select Databases on the right hand side of the screen
Choose the letter B

Scroll down and select the Business Collection with the Australia icon beside it.

Special features:

  • Sharpe focus on professional development and business management
  • Expansive look into taxation, finance and economics
  • Tailored to professionals in business and financial sectors in Australia and overseas
  • Dedicated to content from and about Australia, New Zealand and Asia, with articles by researchers worldwide
  • Extensive coverage of current and historical information sources
  • New articles added daily

Examples of available texts: