This research guide relays some basic information on library and information resources pertaining to the concerns of this department, as provided by University Libraries and/or sites on the World Wide Web.

1. To Shelf-Browse for Books (using main Library of Congress Subject Divisions)

Books on subjects associated with this field are shelved under the call number ranges listed below. Use TOPCAT to search for specific items in the collection, or more narrowly-defined subjects.

NOTE: The main Library of Congress Subject Heading for social work is NOT "Social work." It is "Social service."

See:  Social work, HV1-HV696 ------- Social work education, HV11 ------- Social work with Afro-American children, HV3181-HV3185 ------- Social work with Afro-Americans, HV3181-HV3185 ------- Social work with criminals, HV7428 ------- Social work with gay youth, HV1426 ------- Social work with gays, HV1449 ------- Social work with juvenile delinquents, HV9051-HV9230.7 ------- Social work with lesbian youth, HV1426 ------- Social work with men, HV1441.4-HV1441.8 ------- Social work with teenagers, HV1421-HV1441 ------- Social work with the terminally ill, HV3000-HV3003 ------- Social work with widows, HQ1058 ------- Social work with youth, HV1421-HV1441 ------- Social service libraries, Z675.S673 ------- various bibliographic subjects (Z) ------- Social Work Abstracts, Ref. Per. HV1. 56x

See also these additional Library of Congress Subject Headings:  Public welfare HV1-HV9960; Charities HV1-HV4959.

2. To Find Journal and Magazine Articles (using indexing/abstracting/full-text services)

For a complete listing of databases, see: http://www.wku.edu/library/deansoffice/online.htm.
The following services are recommended for courses for first-year students and nonmajors:

• Encyclopedia of Social Work (Online): Web-based version of NASW's print encyclopedia.
• Academic Search Premier and MasterFILE Premier: These two multidisciplinary web-based databases (part of the EBSCOhost family) feature indexing and abstracting of many WKU journals and magazines. Many references link to online full text.

Advanced students and researchers may also wish to use the following:

• Family and Society Studies Worldwide (EBSCOhost): combination of four database files indexing references in family science, social welfare, human ecology, and human development, 1970-present.
• Social Services Abstracts (CSA): indexes articles in social work, human services, and related areas, 1979-present.
• Sociological Abstracts (CSA): indexes articles in sociology and related social and behavioral sciences, 1952-present; often searched together with Social Services Abstracts.
• PsycINFO (EBSCOhost): indexes the scholarly literature of psychology, 1800's to present.

Special resource:  TDNet Electronic Journal Finder [use to access Libraries' electronic journals, magazines, and newspapers, as well as some indexes and databases containing full-text articles; includes a comprehensive A-Z listing of titles]

3. Monographic and Other Materials in the Helm Library and Kentucky Building

The following are recommended for use:

• Handbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, etc.: available in Helm Reference, mainly in the HV and R through RZ parts of the collection.

4. Department of Social Work Faculty

WKU Social Work Faculty http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Academic/chhs/socialwork/faculty%20all.htm

5. Related Professional Societies (for professional news, careers/jobs, memberships, etc.)

• Association for Community Organization and Social Administration http://www.acosa.org/
• Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) http://www.bpdonline.org/
• Association of Social Work Boards http://www.aswb.org/
• Clinical Social Work Association http://www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org/
• Council on Social Work Education http://www.cswe.org/
• International Federation of Social Workers http://www.ifsw.org/
• Latino Social Workers' Association http://www.lswo.org/
• National Association of Black Social Workers http://www.nabsw.org
• National Association of Puerto Rican/Hispanic Social Workers http://www.naprhsw.org
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW) http://www.naswdc.org/
• North American Association of Christians in Social Work http://nacsw.org/index.shtml

6. Web Sites Recommended by Department of Social Work Faculty

Statistics Sources

• FaststatsAtoZ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/
• Health Statistics from the Americas http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/paho/hsa
• National Health Statistics Reports (NHSR) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/nhsr/nhsr.htm
• National Vital Statistics Reports http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/nvsr/nvsr.htm
• National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/default.htm
• National Center for Charitable Statistics http://nccs.urban.org/

• Barren River District Health Department http://www.barrenriverhealth.org/
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (formerly HCFA) http://cms.hhs.gov/
• Complete Social Worker: Guide to Using the Internet in Social Work http://www.geocities.com/experiential_social_work/
• The Foundation Center http://foundationcenter.org/search/
• Global Social Work Network [international resource for professional social workers] http://www.gswn.com/
• Go Ask Alice [health questions & answers] http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/
• GuideStar: The National Database of Nonprofit Organizations http://www.guidestar.org/index.jsp
• Kentucky Board of Social Work (KBSW) http://finance.ky.gov/ourcabinet/caboff/OAS/op/socwkbd/
• The New Social Worker Online [news, jobs, etc.] http://www.socialworker.com/
• NYU's Information for Practice http://blogs.nyu.edu/socialwork/ip/
• Planned Parenthood http://www.plannedparenthood.org/
• SocialWorkJobBank http://www.socialworkjobbank.com/
• Social Work and Social Services Web Sites http://gwbweb.wustl.edu/Resources/Pages/socialservicesresourcesintro.aspx
• WKU Office of Sponsored Programs http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/SponsPrg/grants/home.htm

University Libraries Liaison: Carol Watwood (745-3912 / carol.watwood@wku.edu) last updated 2/04/2009
page maintained by Charles H. Smith