To get your research off to a great start, talk to an information professional, your librarians. We know how to help you plan your project, find and use great resources, and prepare your final presentation. Check your "library scavenger hunt" report or your hometown library's web site to plan your hometown library visit when a reference librarian will be available for an individual research consultation. Some libraries also offer e-mail or instant-message reference services from their web site.
The iConn 
Connecticut State Digital Library now offer infoAnytime Reference 24/7 services on its homepage; just sign in using your public library card number and chat online with a reference librarian, even when your hometown library is closed. These information specialists can guide you to online information and materials in your hometown library. These online resources appear directly on your screen, next to the chat session window. You may access the web sites provided and chat with the librarian until your question has been answered satisfactorily. You will need to create a user name and password, which you should keep with your research notebook.
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Off-Campus Internet Research Using the TMA Library
From the HyperMedia Library Welcome Page, use the Lightning Lookup links, Homework Helpers Pathfinders and the Dewey Decimal Internet Research Directory to link to public internet sites. These links have been organized by grade level to focus on class projects and tools that are most likely to help you find what you need quickly. If you aren't getting good results, ask a pro for advice.
To access our Gale-Cengage subscription databases with special features for TMA students, use the direct database links on the pages of this site. This will allow you to use tools and resources designed for your class assignments. You will see "Talcott Mountain Academy" displayed in the center of the page. From off-campus, you will need to enter the password that your teacher gives you in the box just below the heading "Please enter your library ID, barcode, or other ID." Tell your teacher or school librarian if you have any difficulty signing on using the Talcott Mountain Academy portals.
To access other Connecticut Digital Library subscription internet resources from off-campus, enter your public library card number in the box in the top right corner of the screen. Select the specific databases you need on the "Advanced Search" page. Browsable e-books are located in the "E-books for Schools" link.
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Hometown Library Additional Electronic Resources
To access your own hometown library's local subscription internet resources from off-campus, click on the link for your local public library online databases (below) and enter your public library card number when prompted. If an out-of-town library has a subscription database you'd like to use, you can usually access those databases by visiting that library.
Your hometown library offers a rich collection of books, magazines, audio and video recordings, e-books, and downloadable resources which you can use at the library or borrow according to your library's policies; look for a link to your hometown library's online catalogue on its website in the list above. You can also borrow materials from other libraries in Connecticut using your hometown library card. You can visit the other libraries or ask your hometown librarian to request the materials for you through interlibrary loan. Nearly all Connecticut public libraries, as well as a number of school, college, and special libaries have included their holdings in Connecticut's reQuest catalogue, so you can find books that your library may not have.
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