Find Conference Proceedings

Professional gatherings like conferences, congresses, forums, symposia, workshops, and expositions will generate published proceedings. Proceedings can often reflect the most current or cutting edge research for a particular field. Older proceedings are a good representation of what the thought in a subject might have been at a given time. The Illinois Online Library Catalog is a good place to start a search for conference proceedings.

There are a number of ways that can be used to search for proceedings in the library catalog:

• Basic search in the VuFind Catalog
• Advanced search in the Classic Catalog
• More resources 

Basic Search in the VuFind Catalog

1. On the library's catalog page, click "Library Catalog"
2. Follow specific directions below to search by:
   • Author
   • Title
   • Subject
   • Keyword

Search by Author

1. In the pull-down menu next to the search box, select "Author"
2. In the search box type the sponsoring agency name as an author (e.g. American Psychological Association) or the name of an editor or compiler
   NOTE: Do not use the name of an author of a paper presented at the conference.

Search by Title

1. In the pull-down menu next to the search box, select "Title"
2. In the search box type the exact title, if known, or title keywords. NOTE: Use the title of the conference or proceedings and not the title of the individual paper presented

Search by Subject

1. In the pull-down menu next to the search box, select "Subject"
2. In the search box type in a topic word with the word "proceedings" 

Search by Keyword

1. In the pull-down menu next to the search box, select "Keyword"
2. In the search box type in a search using combinations of words, such as the sponsor name, or words that describe the conference, such as 'conference,' 'congresses,' or 'symposia'.

Advanced Search in the Classic Catalog

1. On the library's catalog page, click "Classic Catalog: Advanced Search"
2. This advanced search allows you to search to by:
   • Conference Proceedings
   • Publisher Location
   • Publisher

Search by Conference Proceedings

Example: World Telecommunication Forum Technical Symposium (1975 : Geneva)

1. From the 'Search by' pull-down menu choose "Conference Proceedings."
2. In the search box type in the name of the conference, symposium, or proceedings (e.g. "World Telecommunication Forum")

Search by Publisher Location

Example: Proceedings of the Australian Computer Conference. Published: Chippendale, N.S.W.: Australian Trade Publications, c1989.

1. From the 'Search by' pull-down menu choose "Publisher Location"
2. In the search box type in the Publisher Location (e.g. "Chippendale")

Search by Publisher

Example: Proceedings of the Organic Mathematics Workshop, Simon Fraser University. Published: Providence, R.I.: Canadian Mathematical Society, c1997.

1. From the 'Search by' pull-down menu choose "Publisher"
2. In the search box type in the Publisher (e.g., "Canadian Mathematical Society")
   

More Resources

• Conference Papers Index

  Citations to papers and poster sessions presented at major scientific meetings around the world. Subject emphasis since 1995 has been in the life sciences, environmental sciences and the aquatic sciences, while older material covers physics, engineering and materials science. Major areas of coverage include agriculture, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, forestry, biology, environmental science, soil science, biotechnology, and clinical medicine. Covers 1982-present, updated bimonthly

• MInd: the Meetings Index (for future conferences)

  Use this service to identify and locate the organizers and sponsors of future conferences, congresses, meetings and symposia, as well as conference proceedings.

• PapersInvited

  A searchable database of calls for papers, posters and publications from professional bodies, universities, journal editors and other conference organizers. It is particularly rich in announcements of scientific meetings.

• Proceedings First

  Includes citations of every congress, symposium, conference, exposition, workshop and meeting received at The British Library. Includes a wide variety of topics and countries of origin. Covers 1993-present, updated bimonthly.

  The library's Online Reference Collection provides links to other library databases and resources that can be used for identifying and locating conference proceedings:

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