A. For background information on your topic, to begin a bibliography and to find experts in the field, consult:

Encyclopedias, Handbooks and Bibliographies

General Environmental Encyclopedias
[Name of Continent Here]: A Continental Overview of Environmental Issues. [R.R. GE160.H55 2004]
Encyclopedia of Environment and Society R.R. HM856.E53 2007
Brief introductions to concepts, policies, people and places of environmental concern. Signed articles with bibliographies. Good entry point for nonspecialists.
Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering R.R. TD9.E5 2006
A more technical introduction to same.
Encyclopedia of Bioethics. RR BJ57 .E5 2004
Covers ethical positions, as well as social, legal, and policy options. Extensive bibliographies.

Handbooks on Particular Topics
Contemporary World Issues Series :
Handbooks including overview of topic, chronology, major figures, primary materials, policy statements, directory of organizations, annotated bibliography and glossary. Well worth the stop! Access in Bridge by doing a title search on "Contemporary World Issues" and then browsing the list of 199 items. Samples include:  International environmental disputes and hurricanes (2006), world population (2005), Forest conservation policy (2004), Environmental activism and Freshwater Issues (2003), etc.
Environmental Resource Handbook. StO Sci Lib Reference GE20 .E586 2008/09
"Associations, research centers, environmental health, publications, educational programs, environmental law, trade shows, environmental statistics, green city rankings, grants, government agencies, consultants, green product catalogs, web sites"
Global Warming.  RR QC981.8.G56L66 2004
Basic information on how to research topic; includes primary materials.
Ecoterrorism. R.R. GE169.L66 2004
Environmental Activism: A reference R.R. GE195.S88 2003
Pollution A-Z R.R. TD173.P65 2004
Energy Supply R.R. TJ163.2.Y68 2005
Encyclopedia of Interest Groups and Lobbyists in the United States R.R. JK1118.N47 2000

Background on Individual Countries
Europa World Yearbook R.R. JN1.E85

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B. To identify books, videos, journals, etc. owned by St. Olaf and Carleton, consult:

Bridge

BRIDGE will offer subject access to materials on your topic including books, DVDs and videos AND U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS (but not individual journal articles -- see below for that). Try beginning with a keyword search, finding a good item, and then using the Library of Congress Subject Headings at the bottom of the record to link to more materials on those topics. Specific headings include:

Global warming

Climatic changes

Food supply -- government policy

Wetland Management

Endangered species

Wildlife conservation

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C.  For subject access to journals and newspapers, consult:

Databases

 Given the plethora of on-line databases and paper indexes, it is critical that you carefully target an index which is likely to cover the appropriate journals which publish material on your topic. Additionally, you need to consider whether you want broad, general indexes which will give you a sampling of materials appearing in mainstream publications, or specialized indexes which will be comprehensive and focused. Listed below are a sample of the indexes to be found in the St. Olaf Libraries. If you can't find the type of materials you need, please consult a reference librarian to help you find your way through the maze.

Multidisciplinary Index to Magazine and Journal Articles

GreenFile indexes articles on environmental topics in popular magazines, academic journals, and government publications although you can limit to one or another. Full text of articles often an option.

A complete list of indexes and databases is available through the Libraries' Research Finding Tools page.    Some of the best for environmental policy issues include:

PAIS Public Affairs Information Service
EconLit for economic perspectives
Sociological Abstracts for human impact perspectives
AGRICOLA for agricultural emphasis
Biological Sciences for same
Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management for a technical perspective
Historical Abstracts for historical perspectives

Regional Databases

AfricaBib
allAfrica.com
Bibliography of Asian Studies
Handbook of Latin American Studies
American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies (ABSEES)

Newspapers

To have currency in topics such as yours, it will be important to use Newspapers for the most recent changes. You will have to evaluate carefully. Use:

LexisNexis Academic (under news section)
Proquest
Westlaw Campus Research (under news section)
New York Times Historical (1856-2005)

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D. For access to government documents, use a variety of access points:

U.S. Government Documents

Congressional Hearings and other general U.S. government publications:

Bridge catalog
LexisNexis Congressional
Provides access to full text of Congressional documents, bills, and hearings, as well as information on committees and members of Congress. Includes public laws and legislative histories.

United Nations Materials

UN Environment Programme: Environment for Development
UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Access to Official Govt Web Pages by Country

University of Michigan Documents Center: International Organizations
University of Michigan Documents Center: Foreign [by country]

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D. For other sources of information, search:

Websites

There are many ways now to access the web. You have all done Google searches by now but the results are often overwhelming or unsatisfying. There's a better way to start -- by following time honored routes applied to new technologies:

Librarians' catalogs of websites:
Scout Report Reviews of web sites; searchable by keyword and Library of Congress Subject Headings
Infomine Websites "collected" by academic librarians -- full descriptions and subject headings
Librarians' Index to the Internet Aimed more at public library patrons but still useful for many topics

WebPlus from Web of Knowledge . Do a subject search with their boxes. Look to the upper right of the journal article results list and click on WebPlus. The rep says they're peer-reviewed sites; my take is they are more scholarly than not, and selected for this database.

Individual websites recommended by librarians or your professor:

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Reference Librarians

should be consulted for ideas on your individual projects!!

Time Line Assistance: University of Minnesota Assignment Calculator
<http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/ >

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