This page provides a summary of the Library resources and research tools we explored in the HORT 2355 library orientation.For this assignment, use the boxes below to locate sources for your list of plant references. Information on how to create APA citations is at the bottom.
Email me or Schedule an Appointment using the links below my picture on the Get Started page.
~ Celia Brinkerhoff, Horticulture Librarian
Use the library's Summon search box (below and on the homepage) to quickly locate information in a variety of formats from across the entire collection. This is your best tool for finding quick access to a wide range of sources on your topic.
If you are off-campus, you will need to log in with your KPU ID to access any of the online resources.
TIP: Use the content type filter to limit your search results to books and ebooks or chapters.
Here's a short video with tips on better searching in Summon.
Print books in the library are arranged according to a classification system and assigned call numbers. These are like addresses for books.
You may prefer to head directly to the stacks and browse for books of interest. Below are some broad call number ranges where you'll find books on plants, garden design, propagation, pest control and more.
If you find an item of interest using Summon, record the call number for locating the item on the shelf. Related books will be located in the same area.
Plant Materials books will be found in either of two call number ranges, depending on whether they are focussed on taxonomy and identification (plant science/botany), or the cultivation of particular plants and landscaping (horticulture).
| QK Botany (Plant Science) | SB Horticulture |
| QK9 — dictionaries, taxonomies, glossaries | SB117— Seeds, propagation |
| QK115 — Trees | SB169 — Tree crops |
| QK600 —Mosses, Fungi, Ferns | SB175 — Food crops |
| QK660— Seeds | SB403 — Flowers and ornamentals |
| S590 — Soils | SB421 — Classes of plants |
| SB469 — Landscape architecture | |
| SB473 — Gardens --design |
Below is a list of print dictionaries, glossaries, and encyclopedias for additional information.
As you saw above, Summon search provides the quickest way to locate information on your topic by searching across the entire library collection. You will see results from online scholarly journals, magazines and newspapers, as well as streaming video and DVD.
Access Summon from the search box below or on the library's homepage.
TIP: From your search results, use the Content Type filter and select magazine, trade publication, scholarly journal, or all of these.
KPU library subscribes to thousands of scholarly, peer-reviewed journals related to topics in horticulture and plant science.
To access this content, use the Best Bet databases links off the Find articles on your topic page of this guide.
Extension literature is science-based information about a range of horticultural topics produced by U.S. universities and governmental bodies charged with communicating this information to their user groups. Resources include reports from on-farm and participatory research, factsheets and best practices written for practitioners, as well as training materials and grant opportunities.
The easiest way to access this body of literature is to include the word "extension" in your Google searches, and to limit your search to the .edu domain.
Here is an example of a quick search for information on shade gardening in the Northwest, on the extension sites. Note the site limit to .edu; this ensures that only sites from the domain .edu will be retrieved.
Click on the image to see the results of the search.
Try the Google Advanced Search page to structure your searches so that you get a better set of results.
Limiting your searches:
Here's a quick video demonstrating some of the features of Advanced Google Search. Thanks to Manchester Metropolitan University.
For Creative Commons or Public Domain images with permitted usage, KPU has a page on its copyright guide: Images- How to Find, Use, and Cite
For collections with a horticultural or botanical focus, see the following. In most cases, look for a filter with a Creative Commons or Public Domain license that will allow for educational/non-commercial uses.
Even though an image may be used without permission, you will still need to cite its source.
Refer to the Library's APA citation style guide for examples of properly formatted references.
The library's APA guide also has some practice exercises that will be a good refresher for this assignment.