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. For an individual research consultation, ask me (Barbara J. Hampton) during one of our Information Literacy & Research classes, leave a note in the school office, or e-mail me. Tell me about the subject of your research, how you will present your results (written report, PowerPoint™ presentation, posters, debate, etc.), and your deadlines.
The Connecticut Library Consortium and Bibliomation now offer infoAnytime Reference 24/7 services to member libraries. This allows you to 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 your Public Library Card barcode number to create a user name and password, which you should keep with your research notebook.
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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.
Links marked with the 
symbol can be accessed directly from any computer on the Talcott Mountain Academy network.
Print and audio-visual items in the TMA Library may be borrowed by students and faculty, following the instructions posted in the library.
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Hometown Library Additional Resources
To access your own hometown library's additional subscription internet resources from on-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. While you are on-campus, you can plan which library materials you'll want to checkout from your hometown library. Also, you can visit 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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Off Campus • Writing Reports • Student Contests, Competitions & Scholarships
About the Library • Celebrations of Learning Calendar
Policies for Use of Information Resources at TMA
Periodicals • Author! Author! • Distance Learning & Continuing Professional Education
Alumni and Faculty Authors Bibliography
Secondary School Information • Resources for Teachers • Resources for Parents • About the Library