Q. What is Thoreau?A. Thoreau is the Walden Library’s Virtual Catalog. You can find articles, journals, and ebooks using Thoreau.
Q. Does Thoreau let me search more than one database at a time?
A. Yes, you can search multiple databases from many vendors at one time using Thoreau. For example, you can search Medline from Ovid, CINAHL from EBSCO and Nursing and Allied Health from ProQuest all at once.
Q. What Types of Searches Work Best in Thoreau?
A. Focused Searches work better than very broad searches. For example, a search on just the term “finance” will take a very long time and produce an overwhelming number of results. A more focused search would be Financial Reporting Standards.
Q. Will Thoreau find books?
A. Yes, you can use Thoreau to locate ebooks owned by the Walden Library. You can search by author, title, or keyword.
Q. If the Walden Library doesn’t own a book or article, will Thoreau tell me where it is?
A. No, Thoreau will come back with zero results. You will then need to request the book chapter or article through Document Delivery or check Worldcat.org to see if a library near you owns the book or journal.
Q. Does this mean I can complete my literature review with one Thoreau search?
A. No, we’re afraid not. However, Thoreau can help you save time. Thoreau's search results supply you with a list of databases and the number of articles in each so you know which databases to skip. Consult the Walden library staff before closing out your literature review and considering it complete.
Q. How do I get help with Thoreau?
A. The library staff can help you with Thoreau. Contact the staff through the Ask A Librarian web form on any library web site page, call us at 800-437-0501, or email us at library@waldenu.edu.
Q. Where did the name Thoreau come from?
A. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) is the author of Walden, or Life in the Woods (Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1854). According to the Thoreau Society, Thoreau’s family pronounced the name as “thorough.”
