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SCCC 280A, 281A, 285A and University 201
Fundamentals of Inquiry
Library Instruction Module #5

USCAN, USCAN Web and Kudzu
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Welcome to the Fundamentals of Inquiry-Library Instruction Series
Objective: The most important tool in this or any library is the catalog. It is the only way that we can know where an item is located or whether it is in the library. The objective is to acquaint you with it and show you a related catalog which will increase your library power substantially.

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Self-Assessment questions:

1. Have you had to find a book or a journal in the USC Libraries yet?
2. How did that work out?
3. Have you tried Kudzu yet?

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Discussion:USCAN is the USC catalog. The newest web-based version is called USCAN Web and can be accessed at the top of this page by selecting Catalog under the banner. There is an older one which is often used in the Library. This web-based one is easier to use and easier to read.

One real big advantage over the older version is that it is hyperlinked. With a click of your mouse you can go directly to an online journal or search for other works by a particular author.

You can search different USC catalogs at once or narrow your search to the Thomas Cooper Library or all of those located on the Columbia campus.

One of the most important facts to remember about our catalogs is that they will tell you if we have and where we have books, journals, films, government documents and anything else that you might need but It Will Not Find Journal ARTICLES. For those, you need to go to one of the bibliographic databases or indexes. Select Indexes at the top of this page.

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Search for a book by ???? The search screen shows your options. Note the pull down arrows in each window. They indicate that you can change the indexes that will be searched. Note, you can only search in one area at a time. If you need to combine terms, select Keyword and then put in a subject and author or title.

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USCAN Web Record for books. Note the hyperlinked areas. These indicate that you can search for other books by the same author, other volumes within the series, Lecture Notes in Computer Science or other volumes within any of the listed subject heading. Particularly noteworthy is the url, providing online access to the volume and series. Lastly, note the call number which indicates the volume's location within the library. In certain cases you might see a reference to either a particular reference area or other area within the library.

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Typical Journal Record

Below is a typical journal entry. This one is indicative of today's change from paper copy to digital or online format. Notice the url in the Electronic Access box. Also in the holdings area, there is a statement, Library Has followed by a closed series of years (1996-2001). That is quite normal, but usually it is followed by a Current Issues section which lists the unbound single issues. Instead, this record indicates that the only access for issues after 2001 is through our Internet or online version. By comparison, the next record indicates that there are several ways to access the journal.

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Journal Holdings Record

This happens to be the holding record for the journal Science, one of the most important and longest running journals published in the United States. If the whole record was here, you would see two points of access for the online editions. In this case, what you see is that the Library has a great many volumes and issues in paper format. If you look closely in the Notes area you will learn that paper editions from 1883 to 1974 are stored in the annex and you need to request them in advance. It is noteworthy that when the record says "Library Has", it means, that, yes, we have it but also that it is bound. "Current Issues," on the other hand idicates that these are fairly new, but also, single, unbound issues. The Notes area will also tell you if issues are in the annex and if current issues are some place besides where the call number would indicate, such as a display area. A prefix, preceeding the call number can indicate that the journal might be located in an unexpected collection like education or business.

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KUDZU If you are not a Southerner, you might not get the joke. Kudzu is an invasive species that has covered the South. When you look at the many fine libraries that are linked by this system, you will realize that this Kudzu also covers the South, but in a different way than the plant does. The important thing for you to remember is that if you don't find enough books on a particular topic in our libraries, you can always expand your search by going to Kudzu. If that does't improve your results, ask a librarian for help.

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Action Items:

1. Practice searching USCAN Web.
2. Do the same with Kudzu. See the difference?

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Questions for understanding:

1. Can you find journal articles on USCAN Web or Kudzu?
2. Why not?
3. Can you see where the catalog fits into your search strategy?

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Information Literacy Issues
Once you have started your search, you need to consider your audience and the type of project or presentation that you are working on. You will soon see if you have too much information or not enough. Here is where you have to make decisions. The more you know about what library resources exist, the better decisions you will be able to make regarding changing the scope of your initial effort.


Standard One

The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

4. The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need.

Outcomes Include:

• A. Reviews the initial information need to clarify, revise, or refine the question

(Did you find enough information or too much? Using the catalog is a good place to start. Have you decided on using journal articles or books? Have you checked out dictionaries and encyclopedias?)
• B. Describes criteria used to make information decisions and choices

(Is your project a paper or an A-V production, a speech or a web site? The project and presentation type will effect your decisions. You also need to evaluate the source of the information, i.e., The American Tobbaco Institute vs. The American Cancer Society.)

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Questions, comments or make an appointment with the Inquiry Librarian.


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