Military Science

The resources selected here are intended to support the mission of the ROTC program and the Military Science Department at NMU.

OneSearch Guide

OneSearch is the central index to the library's collections. There are 4 search options within OneSearch: Everything, Articles, Library Catalog, and Course Reserves.  Each tab below details how to search in these options.  Two separate tabs walk you through requesting something via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).  The last tab, Using Advanced Search, describes ways to use that method across all 4 options. 

Suggest a Topic:  If you have a topic you would like to see represented in this guide, send us Feedback.

Boolean image of OneSearch

Everything, the default search, will search all of the collections at once.  It can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of hits that result.  You might consider limiting your search to the Library Catalog or Articles.  It's up to you.

A search for climate change, from the search box on the library homepage, looks like this:

library homepage search

The search from here is immediately in Everything, which brings back, in this example, nearly 11 million results!  That's too many.  Searching from now on, once you're in OneSearch, allows you to tell the system where to search.

sample seaerch 2

Let's alter our search by putting quotes around "climate change", because it's a phrase.  We aren't interested in climate or change by themselves, but the phrase "climate change".  We'll still search Everything, and get over 7 million this time, but then we'll narrow the results down even more.

"climate change" as a phrase

Off to the right-hand side of your over 7 million hits is "Refine your results".  Here is where you have the power to significantly narrow down your reults.  The image below, adjusted for space, indicates what you can narrow your results to.

Refining your results

As you can see, there is a lot of sorting and narrowing down you can do.  If you find something that is not available immediately, request it.  The image below is what you'll see.  The Interlibrary Loan tab on this guide walks you through this process.

ILL sign in

Articles searches the full-text of peer-reviewed journals, magazines, newspapers and other periodicals. It also searches the full-text of ebooks, streaming video, dissertations/theses, conference papers, and government documents.  It really is a lot more than what you might consider articles.  Keeping with our "climate change" example, let's limit the results to articles:

climate change article results

To limit these results to Peer-Reviewed Journals, Click the Peer-reviewed journals link on the right-hand side to limit results to this type of material. If limiting to multiple availability options, click each checkbox then click Apply Filters.

limit to peer review

This will further narrow down your results--can you see a pattern?  The more you select, the narrower your results.  Articles available online will indicate such available online and might require you to log in with your NMU username and password and 2-factor authentication to a database:

pick your database

If you see an article that you want but OneSearch indicates that there is no online access, request it.  The image below is what you'll see.  The Interlibrary Loan tab on this guide walks you through this process. 

how to get it

Library Catalog searches the complete holdings of the library's print and electronic collection. This includes books, book chapter titles, video and sound recordings, maps and government documents, and the Pre-K thru 12 collection. You will not find articles in a Library Catalog search.  Video: How to find a book (1:18).  Video: How to find an ebook (1:45).

library catalog climate change

The default list is relevance--you may want to sort by date or title--it's up to you.  You also can limit your results to what we have physically in the library or results that are electronic only (you can view these anywhere on your device) as well as the material type.

library sort 1

You are also able to limit your search to a particular author, date, language, etc, including location.  

location in library

Clicking on the title of a book (or DVD or whatever NMU has in its physical collection) brings up more information.  In this example, this publication is both here at the library and online:

Bibliographic record

Limit results to: Holocaust Collection. As part of your search include the phrase "NMU Holocaust"., and you can further limit your results to various Material Types (books, videos, etc.) in the "Refine your results" section.

primo holocaust collection

Course Reserves, will look for those items (usually books or a video) set aside by your professor for a specific course.  These often have a limit of 2 hours in-library use only.  To search, simply type in your class number.  For example, DFST 252.  The material is available at the service desk.

course reserves

  

In addition to requesting a book through OneSearch, you can also search for and request books through MelCat and WorldCat directly.

As much as you have access to electronically, even more is available elsewhere with just a short wait.  Within OneSearch it is easy to request books or media or articles that are owned by another library.  Here is a book we do not have: 

ILL book

There is no call number and no indication of online access.  "Check for available services" really means "Pleases sign in to check if there are any request options".  Click the Sign in text.  You will be prompted to sign in with your NMU credentials and, if you've activated it, your 2-factor authentication:

log on to NMU

Once you are signed in, you have a choice on which kind of ILL service you'd like.  Request @ MelCat is a statewide system for Michigan libraries (the item might arrive faster), while the @ Interlibrary is nationwide.  

ILL choice

And here I have to stop and say that we are working out some bugs.  If you have gotten this far within OneSearch and have noticed "things aren't right", you are correct.  Give us a call or Ask Us (right hand side) of screen, and we'll sort things out.  We appreciate your patience.

Within OneSearch (and most databases), requesting an article that NMU does not have is the same as requesting a book we do not have.  Video: Interlibrary loan of an article (some sign-in images have changed since) (2:36).  Within databases, look for the Get it@NMU link; within OneSearch, "Check for available services" really means "Pleases sign in to check if there are any request options".  Click the Sign in text.  You will be prompted to sign in with your NMU credentials and, if you've activated it, your 2-factor authentication:

log on to NMU

Once you have signed on, you will be prompted to pick a method: pick Request Article @ InterLibrary Loan.  MelCat does not lend articles.

request article

Clicking that link opens up another window.  All that remains is for you to type in your phone number and select request.  We'll take it from here.  You will get an email immediately telling you that we have received it, and in a few days, an email with a link to the article.  The video at the top of this tab explains it a bit more.

To the right of the search box, once you have made a search, is Advanced Search.  Although most people continue to use the single search box, it is to your advantage to switch to the advanced search screen.  It may look intimidating, but it gives you the means to make a better search.  Each of the 4 search options can be searched this way.

Advanced search

You can change where you want to search.  This is helpful in narrowing down resources to relevant ones.  For example, in the search below, "great lakes" has been changed to subject, microplastics has also been added as a subject, and a third line has been added with fish.  Your searches can be created the same way.

Advanced search 2

33 results is a manageble number to look through.  Further narrowing down is possible (material type, date, availability, etc).

The Department of Defense. Defenselink: The official web site for the Department of Defense and the starting point for finding U.S. military information online. News, images, video, publications, etc. You can link to the individual branches, or go there directly: ArmyNavyAir Force, and the Marines. Also, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

The NCO Journal. Published 4 times a year, this journal supports training, education and professional development of the NCO Corps.

U.S. Army War College. A very good resource. The links off this page include the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI), the Center for Strategic Leadership, and the Military History Institute. Publications, photographs, archival materials, etc. are accessible. Click on Menu, then Research & Publications.

Command & General Staff College. This is another very good resource for online publications and links to databases and other military websites. Of particular interest is their Combined Arms Research Library (CARL).

National Defense University. Under the direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the NDU is " the premier center for joint professional military education." Click on NDU Press: across the top of that page will be Books, Other Publications, etc. NDU also has a database of digital collections.

Army Publishing Directorate. Publisher and distributor of Army publications. Publications and forms can be searched by number, title, series title, or proponent collection. Many are available freely online but a few are not.

Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). Search scientific, technical, engineering, and business related information. Members of the military can register and have access to more resources.

Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System. Military publications have always been hard to locate outside of the military. Even with the availability of so many online, it is still not easy. This website is one such portal to them. Publications can also be located via the Central Command website. "Other News Sources" from Defenselink also contains a listing of publications. Registration may be required to view stories.

National Intelligence University. As the name suggests, publications on many aspects of intelligence can be located here. Most are freely available for download.

The Homeland Security Digital Library. The nation's premier collection of homeland security policy and strategy related documents. This database is available for NMU students and faculty.

U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. Collection includes manuscrpits, photographs, and publications.

USA.gov Military Personnel & Veterans. Includes a variety of resources: current news, veteran information, family support, transition assistance, recruitment, reserves, etc.

The Catalog of Government Publications. This resource resembles a library catalog and includes links to online publications. Use these terms when searching:

  • Command of troops
  • Leadership (include the word “military” as well)
  • Soldiers—United States
  • Military Art and Science
  • Military Education

GlobalSecurity.org. Since 2000, this organization "is the leading source of background information and developing news stories in the fields of defense, space, intelligence, WMD, and homeland security." Of note is their collection of Army Field Manuals.

Defense News. Part of the Army Times publishing group. The leading military and government news periodical publisher in the world, providing independent, professional news. NMU has a print subscription to the Army Times: we keep the latest 6 months.

Federation of American Scientists Military Analysis Network. Nice central source for worldwide military information ranging from weapon systems to budget and policy analysis. This website is a good compliment to GlobalSecurity.

History of War. Covers wars, battles, biographies, and weapons from Greco-Roman times to Gulf War I. This resource has a nice A-Z index (as well as indexes for [nearly] each category) as well as many images.

  • Command of troops
  • Leadership (include the word “military” as well)
  • Soldiers—United States
  • Military Art and Science
  • Military Education

When searching OneSearch, it is helpful to use the same search terms as mentioned with the Catalog of Government Publications:

  • Command of troops
  • Leadership (include the word “military” as well)
  • Soldiers—United States
  • Military Art and Science
  • Military Education

Oxford Reference Online Military History: Here you can find The Oxford Companion to American Military History, The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, A Dictionary of Contemporary World History, The Oxford Companion to Military History, The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military, and The Oxford Companion to World War II.

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