Skip to Main Content

Great Problems Seminar (GPS): Seeking Sustainability

Great Problems Seminar (GPS) resources at the library

Why Use Books for Research?

Books are excellent sources for information such as:

  • Broad overview of a complex topic
  • In-depth information
  • Background and contextual information, such as the history and chronology of a given topic
  • Discovering resources through bibliographies and suggested readings lists

"But I don't have time to read a whole book!" 

It's ok, you don't have to read a book cover to cover! To determine how useful a book might be, first skim through the following parts: 

  • Title Page - look at authors (credentials?), date of publication
  • Table of Contents - look at chapter titles to get an idea what the book is really about. Are any chapters relevant to your topic? You usually don't need to read every chapter, just those that are relevant!
  • Index - Look for specific terms relevant to your topic, also note any potential new terms that can be used later as search terms in a database
  • Preface/Forward/Introduction - usually highlights the author's purpose/intention for writing the book
  • Bibliography (either at the end of each chapter or end of the book) - find additional resources!​

Handbooks - Technical Information

Handbooks are a specific type of resource that provide technical information, including procedures, methodologies and protocols, as well as facts and background. While similar to reference materials, they are often more detailed and use technical jargon, as they are usually written for experts in the field.

Two ways to access handbooks:

A. Search for handbooks in Summon: 

  1. Go to the library website
  2. Add handbook to a search in the Library ALL search box
  3. In the Results page, under CONTENT TYPE, check Book/eBook  

B.  Go directly to Handbook collections:

  1. Go to the library website
  2. Click on the databases By Type link under the search box
  3. Click on the Technical Handbooks link
  4. Click on the collection of handbooks that best suit your needs

Below are a examples of handbooks that are specific to water resource management:

Reference Resources

Below are some examples of encyclopedias and dictionaries for water related topics.

How to Find Reference Resources 

  • Click the Advanced Search link under the  "ALL" Summon Search box on the Gordon Library website  https://web.wpi.edu/academics/library 
  • Check "Reference" under the CONTENT TYPE filter. ht
  • Watch this very short video to see a quick demo on how   https://www.screencast.com

Recommended Databases