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Guide to Locating Gerontology Materials in UNC-CH Libraries

A tutorial from the IOA Information Center

Note: This guide is designed for students at UNC Chapel Hill. Our Guide to Library Research on Aging Topics is also recommended for all students.

Contents:
1. Libraries At UNCCH
2. Electronic Indexes and Databases
3. E-Journals
4. Library Services, Tutorials, Reference Guides
5. For Distance Students
6. Aging Subject Headings & Key Terms Used in Databases

1. Libraries At UNCCH

You'll find aging-related books, journals and more in many different libraries on the UNC-CH campus:

• The two main libraries on campus:
  • Davis Library (social sciences)
  • Health Sciences Library (medical, nursing, health affairs)
• Some of the smaller libraries:
  • Carolina Population Center Library (demography, population)
  • Odum Institute Data Archive (data sets)
  • UNC Institute on Aging Information Center (aging, interdisciplinary)
  • AHEC Digital Library
  • ... many others in departments across campus

   

2. Electronic Indexes and Databases

These databases provide a bibliographic index to professional literature. Some provide full-text articles, but some do not. A few are free, but many of them are subscription databases that you have access to as a UNC student. We highlighted aging-related databases below; for the complete list of databases available at UNCCH, look under Article Databases and More at http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/eid/.

AgeLib
AgeLib is the Institute on Aging's digital library of resources. It includes abstracts of selected books, websites, reports, and other items with a focus on grey literature.
http://www.aging.unc.edu/infocenter/agelib/index.html

AARP Ageline
AgeLine is produced by AARP's Research Information Center. It includes abstracts of books and selected articles from over 600 magazines and journals.
http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/eid/description.php?EIDID=417

CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health)
CINAHL indexes journals from the fields of nursing and allied health. Searching available through NCLIVE.
http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/eid/description.php?EIDID=1267

GPO Access
GPO Access provides free electronic access to information products produced by the U.S. Government.
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html

Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
This resource provides access to the full text of over 400 scholarly journals focusing on many medical disciplines.
http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/eid/description.php?EIDID=384

PubMed/MedLine
PubMed covers the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and the preclinical sciences. PubMed includes all of MedLine. Using the UNCCH link below will show you the UNC Full Text link when available.
http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/eid/description.php?EIDID=222

3. E-Journals

E-Journals are defined as journals that are available online in their entirety. Generally, to access e-journals you or your institution must have a subscription. Below are some key e-journals related to aging that are available at UNCCH.

NOTE: For a general list of all gerontology journals and where to find them, try the IOA's Gerontology Journals Finder.

Age and ageing
Available online through UNC Chapel Hill E-journals at http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/ejournal/description.php?EJID=12671

Ageing and society
Available online through UNC Chapel Hill E-journals at
http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/ejournal/description.php?EJID=15646

Generations
http://www.asaging.org/generations/gen.html

The Gerontologist
http://gerontologist.gerontologyjournals.org/

Journal of aging and identity
Available online through UNC Chapel Hill E-journals at http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/ejournal/description.php?EJID=13187

Journal of aging and health
Available online through UNC Chapel Hill E-journals at http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/ejournal/description.php?EJID=75240

Journal of aging studies
Available online through UNC Chapel Hill E-journals at http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/ejournal/description.php?EJID=106849

Journals of gerontology
Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences http://biomed.gerontologyjournals.org/
Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences http://psychsoc.gerontologyjournals.org/

4. Library Services

Librarians can help you build a search strategy and direct you to resources. Use these links to contact librarians at UNCCH:

• Davis Library
• Health Sciences Library
• UNC Institute on Aging Information Center

Teach yourself using these online tutorials:

• Guide to Library Research on Aging Topics
• How to Research a Term Paper in Gerontology (from AARP)
• Citing Information
• Evaluating Online Information
• Finding Health Information
• Finding Health Statistics

Some handy reference guides:

• A Guide to the Decennial Census
• Citations & Style Manuals
• Current N.C. Health Statistics
• Current U.S. Health Statistics

5. For Distance Students

The UNC Institute on Aging and the University Libraries collaborated on a tutorial specifically for students doing aging research from a distance. It covers important research concepts and the provided by the main campus libraries (Davis and HSL).

• Aging Research from a Distance

6. Subject Headings & Key Terms

Subject headings are important when searching databases and indexes -- you need to be sure that you are using the same terms that are in the database. This list of aging-related key terms will get you started.

AARP AgeLine Thesaurus of Subject Headings
(used in the AgeLine database, and also in the IOA's AgeLib database)

• Older Adults
• Aging
• Caregivers
• Geriatrics
• Grandparents
• Health Promotion
• Long Term Care
• Retirement
• For more terms please use the full Thesaurus of Aging Terminology

Library of Congress Subject Headings
(used in Davis Library)

• Aging
• Aged
• Geriatrics
• Gerontology
• Longevity
• Nursing Homes
• Older people

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
(used in Health Sciences Library and in PubMed/MedLine)

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Aging (refers to the physiological processes)
• Longevity
• Frail Elderly
• Geriatrics
• Health Services for the Aged
• Homes for the Aged
• Housing for the Elderly
• Nursing Homes

GAO (Government Accounting Office)

• Aid for the Elderly
• Elder care
• Elderly persons
• Extended care facilities
• Food Programs for the elderly
• Health care facilities
• Housing for the elderly
• Long term care
• Skilled nursing facilities

Acronyms used in Aging

• please see Acronyms in Aging: Organizations, Agencies, Programs, and Laws, 2005