In a time where Wikipedia is the go-to source for students in their research, the Marshall Public Library would like to remind scholars of all ages that some of the best resources are still located right here in Pocatello.
“Doing research online is great if you just want to scratch the surface of a topic,” says Kathryn Poulter, Youth Services Supervisor at the Marshall Public Library. “If you really want to get the heart of a topic, you have to go straight to the source. When people are researching a topic, the staff at the library can point you in the right direction with our numerous collections and also make some suggestions to make your research stand out. ”
The library’s collections range from the history of the Gem State to anthropology to art and everything in between. This includes a number of primary sources.
“Primary sources are things that were created during the specific time that a researcher is looking at,” Poulter explains. “A great example of that is our microfilm collection of the Idaho State Journal. That collection goes all the way back to the turn of the century.”
Even with the wealth of information that’s at the library, they’re still putting their best foot forward online.
“You can access our databases at home and thousands of documents are right at your fingertips,” Poulter says.
For more information on all the services offered by the Marshall Public Library, visit marshallpl.org.