Lakeland College Japan Library
Finding Materials for your Research Paper

Define your topic and create a list of potential search terms using LCJ Library's Research Project PlanningWorksheet

Use the subject keywords you decided upon to search the various databases. If you can't find books or articles on your topic, search other broad, narrow, or related keywords. As you search make note of other possible search terms.

Finding Books

EasiCat is a good place to begin your search for books. This is the online catalog for more than 5000 books in LCJ's library. Try your search terms as keyword and as subject words. Subject searching is more accurate. As you search look for other subject terms EasiCat shows (listed in the box to the left. Remember to narrow your search to show only LCJ's books.
When you find a book in LCJ's collection that you would like to look at write down the call number, the book's location on the shelves.

NetLibrary is a collection of over 15,000 eBooks which you can read online and print page by page. Full-text keyword searching allows you to seach the entire content of every book, which is useful for hard-to-find topics. To find books that cover your topic in-depth subject search is most effective.

Tokyo Metropolitan Reference Library An excellent source for English books when searches of Easicat and NetLibrary do not have what you are looking for. Over 50,000 English titles.

Other Library Collections There are many libraries in the Tokyo area with substantial English book collections. Most are not open to the public, but are accessible by appointment if a specific research need is identified. The WorldCat First Search database will identify books in some of these libraries. Or you may be able to search the online catalog of a particular library. Consult the librarian to arrange a visit or for the library to request an item through interlibrary loan.

Online Collections

Google Books is an ongoing attempt to digitize every book in the world. Google allows you to search the full text of millions of books. You can preview those still in copyright, and see the complete text of out of copyright books. You may also be given the option to buy a copy of the book or find libraries that own it.

Free eBook Collections

These collections are mostly out-of-copyright titles more than 65 years old. As such they are useful for research requiring works published before that time, including early editions of many "classics". Some are pdf files (exact copies) of the orignals with illustrations and full-text searchability. Some more current public domain titles are also available in these databases such as government sponsored research or self-published titles for which an author or publisher is waiving copyright.

Internet ArchiveWayback Machine Over 138,000 'texts' available in pdf, Flip Book and other formats. Mostly older, out-of -copyright titles

Online Books Page Over 10,000 online books free. onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/

Online Book Stores if you would like to buy a book online--Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.com, and AbeBooks.com have vast collections of new and used English books for sale and delivery.

Tokyo English Bookstores

Tokyo has a good selection of bookstores selling new and used English books.

Bookstores in Tokyo (list)

Blue Parrot

Good Day Books

intelligent idiot

Kitazawa Books

Tower Records

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Finding Articles

Many research assignments require use of some scholarly articles. Generally what is meant by scholarly is an article from a "peer-reviewed" journal. LCJ has access to thousands of journals, magazines, and newspapers through its databases. Most databases will allow you to limit your search to scholarly articles. As with books, if you are not finding articles for your topic you may need to modify your search terms or expand your search to the collections of other libraries or online services, some of which require payment.

Proquest Databases are a good place to begin looking for articles. You can search Proquest Research Library a general group of databases covering all subject areas, or limit your search to one subject area (e.g. Arts, Business, Psychology). Searches can be further limited to full-text articles (some journals are not full-text) and scholary articles.

Ebsco Databases Similar in coverage to Proquest but with a different array of special databases Academic Search Elite is a general coverage.

JSTOR Database full-text scholarly journals with coverage from the 19th century.

See the LCJ Library's Online Resources and Research Guides pages for a listings of online resources including reference tools, government publications and
primary source materials

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