Library Bootcamp for 2025

USMA Library Boot Camp

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Introduction

Welcome cadets!

As a West Point cadet, one of your greatest assets is the USMA Library. In this bootcamp, you will complete six missions to familiarize yourself with the library and its services. Your missions are to:

• Explore the USMA Library website
• Learn how to get help from a librarian
• Find articles and books using SCOUT
• Locate service points at the library
• Learn about Archives and Special Collections
• Complete an AAR of Bootcamp

Mission 0: 1/1

USMA Library Website

Find and bookmark or favorite the USMA Library website: https://library.westpoint.edu

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Final Test

Mission 4

Mission 5

Mission 1: 1/9

USMA Library Chat

Now that you have bookmarked or favorited the USMA Library website, use the chat feature to ask for the Library Bootcamp codeword. To use chat, click on the red speech bubble icon on the right side of the website to chat.

Continue

Mission 1: 2/9

USMA Library Chat

Instructions for chat

• Click on the red chat icon
• Click Yes, I am ready
• Enter your name and email address when prompted
• Select Current Cadet/Cadet Candidate for your affiliation

• Choose Library Bootcamp (RS100/101 Only) from the dropdown menu.

• Answer the Chatbot's questions to receive the codeword

Mission 1: 3/9

More Ways to Get Help

Chat is only one of the many ways you can get help from a librarian! Now it's time to discover other ways you can find help in the library. From the homepage, click Ask a Librarian. What is the 1st way listed that you can receive help in the library?

Submit a question

Visit the Help Kiosk on the 2nd Floor

Make an appointment with a librarian

Contact your company librarian

Mission 1: 4/9

Company Librarians

Every cadet at USMA gets matched with a Company Librarian who is available to answer questions, help you get started with research, let you know what’s going on in the library, and connect you with resources. From the home page, click Ask a librarian. Click on the company librarian link to learn who your Company Librarian is.

Mission 1: 5/9

Making an Appointment with your Company Librarian

Now that you know who your company librarian is, scroll down to the bottom of the company librarian page. Explore the interactive graphic at the bottom of the page to learn how to make the most of your research appointment.

Mission 1: 6/9

Librarians and Generative AI

Our librarians can also help you with more than just research; they also have experience with Generative AI. The library has acquired specific GenAI research tools, and our librarians can show you how to use them for your research assignments*.

Click the link below to access the Generative AI research guide

Generative AI Research Guide

From the side navigation bar, click USMA-Provided GenAI Tools

Continue

*Always check with your instructor about using these or any GenAI tools. Guidance about the use of GenAI is at the assignment level.

Mission 1: 7/9

GenAI Research Tools

To support academic work, West Point cadets, faculty, and staff have access to a range of paid subscription Generative AI tools with options that offer enhanced features and capabilities.

Mission 1: 8/9

Finding Sources

Return to the library home page. From the left side navigation menu, click How Do I... and then on the Find Sources icon. This page gives a good overview of how to find many of the sources that the USMA Library provides. It has links to our physical books, eBooks, databases, newspapers, items in our Special Collections and Archives, streaming video and more. Explore the icons on the Find Sources page to find the answer to the following question.

Mission 1: 9/9

Video Streaming Service

Return to the How Do I... page and click on the Find Sources icon.One of our most popular streaming services is Feature Films for Education. This collection contains hundreds of streaming titles and new content is added regularly. Find the icon to streaming video services and click on the Feature Films for Education database. Click on Advanced Search and under Choose Filters (Genres), select Adventure and then search.

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 2

Mission 1

Mission 3

Mission 5

Final mission

Mission 4

Mission 2: 1/13

Website Search Bars

The home page of USMA Library website has two search bars and they search very different things. Searching in the wrong search bar will provide you with confusing results. Hover over the numbers to read about each search bar.

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Mission 2:2/13

Website Search Bars

Answer the questions in numerical order

2. Which search bar should you use when you are looking for an article?

1. Which search bar should you use to find out how to reserve a study room?

3. Which search bar should you use to find out about the research process?

4. Which search bar should you use to find a book you were assigned to read?

Continue

Back

Mission 2:3/13

Find Books Using Scout

SCOUT is the Library’s discovery tool that allows you to search multiple sources at the same time. SCOUT displays books, eBooks, newspapers, journal articles, and more in a single search. You can always access SCOUT from the banner at the top of our website. Go to our website and in the SCOUT search bar, type Great Chain West Point. (PRO TIP! Typing the words exactly as directed will give you the most accurate results.) How many results were returned?

100 - 150

201-250

151-200

300-400

Mission 2:4/13

Narrowing Your Search:Limiters or Filters

When searching in SCOUT, your results may include books, DVDs, or other physical items. To limit your search to resources that are available online, use the limiters (also called filters) on the left hand side of the screen. Three of the most useful limiters will be Available online, Peer-reviewed Journals, and Resource Type. Click continue to read more.

Continue

Mission 2:5/13

Using Filters or Limiters to Find Online Sources

Return to your search on Great Chain West Point. Click on the Available Online limiter and apply that filter.

Back

Mission 2:6/13

Each book in the Library is uniquely identified by a set of letters and numerals known as a call number. A call number is like an address; it points to the exact location of a book and where it sits on the shelf.

Using Call Numbers to Find Books

When you look at a SCOUT record, the call number is listed in red underneath the book's title as show below.

On the shelf, the call number is displayed vertically as shown above.

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Mission 2:7/13

Practice Finding Call Numbers

Now that you have learned the basics of call numbers, its time to practice. Enter the following book title into SCOUT: The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education Verify it is the correct book by checking that the author is Craig Mullaney.

Mission 2:8/13

Using Call Numbers to Find Books

To complete this mission, hover over each task to receive your instructions. Click send after each answer.

Task 1

Task 2

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Mission 2:9/13

Boolean Operators

When searching for articles in SCOUT or in library databases or even in Google or Google Scholar, Boolean Operators can be used to expand or narrow your search.

Back

Continue

Mission 2:10/13

Boolean Operators

Watch this 1 minute video

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Mission 2:11/13

Boolean Operators

Mission 2:12/13

Boolean Operators

Mission 2:13/13

Become a SCOUT Power User!

Want some more PRO TIPS when searching for resources for your assignments? The library has a set of tutorials designed to help you learn how to use SCOUT and take advantage of its capability. From the library home page, click on How do I... and click on the icon for Find Sources. Click on the first link on that page which is View tutorials on how to search library resources. From the Types of Sources page, click the icon for Secondary Sources.

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Mission 4

Mission 5

Mission 6

Mission 3:1/6

Finding Articles

You have a paper due on the military leadership style of General George S. Patton. You need scholarly articles for this assignment.

• Search SCOUT using the term General George S. Patton. (PRO TIP! Typing the words exactly as directed will give you the most accurate results.)
• From the Resource type limiter, choose articles.
• Under the Availability limiter choose Available Online and Peer-Reviewed Journals.
• Under the Publication/Creation Date limiter type in a range of 2000 to 2010 and click Refine. (If you do not click Refine, the limiter will not work!)

Click on the title of the first article in the search results.

Patton's Third Army at War

General George S. Patton, Jr. and the Conquest of Fear

The Image of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and the American Media

Mission 3:2/6

What is in a SCOUT Record?

You found the article, "General General George S. Patton, Jr. and the Conquest of Fear". Click on the article to look at the SCOUT record.

Every SCOUT record contains a LOT of information. Here are some of the things you may find:

• The name of the author
• The title of the work
• A description of the item
• Whether or not it is available online
• Subject headings for further research
• A citation generator
• A call number of the item is on the shelves
• The name of the database if the item can be found in if it is online

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Mission 3:3/6

Pro Tip for Researchers

There are multiple ways to save an article, but one of the best ways is to use a permalink. A permalink is a persistent link to a resource found in SCOUT. Think of it as an article's permanent address in which you can reliably access it regardless of your location or platform. Copying the permalink (not the URL at the top of the website!) ensures that you will find your way back to a resource once you find it. Click on the icon that will copy the permalink.

Mission 3:4/6

Citations

A citation is the way you tell your readers that certain material in your work came from another source. It also gives your readers the information necessary to find that source again, and also includes information about the author, publisher, and the title of the work. Look again at the Send To options. Click on the citation icon.

Mission 3:5/6

Citations

Look again at the SCOUT record for "General General George S. Patton, Jr. and the Conquest of Fear" and look at the Send To options. Click on the citation icon and select the APA (6th edition) citation style. Look at the citation provided by SCOUT and answer the following question.

Mission 3:6/6

Article Descriptions

Go down to the description of the article. These descriptions (or abstracts) are a great way to get an overview of the article, without having to read the entire thing.

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Mission 4

Mission 5

Final Mission

Mission 4:1/5

Where To Get Help When You Are IN the Library

Library service points are places that you can ask questions and get help. For this mission, you will visit the Front Desk and the Help Kiosk.

Now on your feet! You and your battle buddy need to collect BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING intel cards and bring them back to this room to complete your next few tasks.

Intel cards are located at these two places: 1. The Front Desk located on the 1st floor 2. The Help Kiosk located on the 2nd floor

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The Front Desk

Mission 4:2/5

Go to the front desk on the first floor and pick up an intel card.

What do you use to check out library books?

How many cadets do you need to check out a study room?

What will you receive if a book comes in from another library?

How do I get books USMA Library doesn't have?

What audiovisual equipment is available?

Mission 4:3/5

The Help Kiosk and the Research Lab

Go to the Help Kiosk on the 2nd Floor and pick up an Intel Card. The Help Kiosk on the 2nd floor is a convenient service point where cadets can press a button to summon an on-call librarian who will promptly provide personalized assistance. Also, cadets can schedule appointments with a librarian and meet in the Research Lab on the 2nd floor. This space is dedicated for these research consultations. Select three types of help that you can get from a librarian.

Unable to Print?

Mission 4:4/5

There are comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on troubleshooting printing problems on iPads near our printers on the 2nd floor.

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Mission 4:5/5

The Mounger Writing Center

The Library is here to help you to find credible resources. When it is time to tackle the writing and editing process, the Mounger Writing Center (MWC) is an excellent place to start. The MWC is on the second floor of the east wing of the library, however it is NOT a library service point and is not staffed by librarians, but by cadets and contracted staff. Visit the MWC website to find out information about policies and procedures.

MWC website

Cadets at the MWC will proofread my paper.

I can make an appointment at the MWC the same day my assignment is due.

True

False

True

False

Cadets at the MWC are critical readers, NOT subject matter experts.

I need to cite MWC for helping with my assignment.

True

False

True

False

Continue

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Mission 4

Mission 5

Final Test

Mission 5:1/5

Archives and Special Collections (ASC)

The items in Archives and Special Collections are in transit to their new location in Cullum Hall. Watch the video to learn about ASC and answer the question.

Mission 5:2/5

Edgar Allan Poe Papers

Many holdings from our Archives and Special Collections (ASC) are associated with former cadets and USMA graduates who spent time at the Academy. Watch the video to learn about a former cadet who became famous...though not for becoming a military officer!

Who was the cadet hoping to get an introduction to?

Benjamin Franklin

James Madison

Alexander Hamilton

The Marquis de La Fayette

Mission 5:3/5

Edgar Allan Poe Papers

Some of the items from Archives and Special Collections (ASC) are digitized and available through SCOUT. One of these items is the letter from Edgar Allan Poe talked about in the video. Go to SCOUT and type "Edgar Allan Poe papers" in the search bar. Look in the results for the manuscript "Edgar Allan Poe Papers." and click the "Available Online" link to view the document. You can download a copy of the letter to read it on your screen or you can read the paper copy provided in the room.

The Chapman Map

Mission 5: 4/5

Another amazing item available in ASC is the Chapman map. This primary source is of note, because it was drawn at the same time that Poe was here at West Point. Check out the Chapman map in your classroom ( there is also a digitized version in SCOUT) and the information from Poe's letter to answer the following questions.

Mission 5

Who Lived in the Superintendent's House?

Who lived in that building when Poe and Chapman were cadets?

Robert E. Lee

Sylvanus Thayer

Richard Delafield

Missions

Accomplish each mission to complete bootcamp

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Final Test

Mission 5

Mission 4

Mission 6:1/3

AAR

Mission 6:2/3

AAR

Mission 6:3/3

AAR

Completed

Congratulations, you have successfully completed USMA Library Boot Camp!

Start over?

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Correct!

The citation generator will provide you with a citation. Please keep in mind that different professors require different types of citations so always check your assignment and verify that your citation is correct before turning in your assignment.

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Correct!

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Correct!

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Correct!

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Correct!

The permalink feature is one of the many options you can find on a SCOUT record. Another feature is the citation generator.

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Correct!

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Correct!

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