See Pea Eye,

First things first--today is not a stroll in the park nor is it a lemon poppy seed muffin with a side of metropolis coffee. Well, maybe the crumbs of the muffin could suffice for a visual--because today's treat is some work to retrieve, but the reward is so sweet!

Regardless, today is a difficult day for the world of online databases. For today we will be exploring a database that is an index. Yes dear students of 2012 this means that this resource is meant to help you--but not necessarily spoon feed you. The Christian Periodical Index (CPI) means to do you good--they want to show you where you can find the topic you are looking for! I'm sure you know CPI's older brother--ATLA (and if you don't shame on you and go here to explore for yourself!). But CPI is a database that before today I personally had zero clue even existed! (shame on me)

Christian Periodical Index is the more "practical" of the brothers--ATLA is very academic and although sometimes CPI and ATLA overlap--CPI tends to be the place to find more hands on/practical theology. That's when you all chime in and say yes! Practical theology?! The entire construct of Moody's education found in a online "database"! And what's that you say Emily?! It's a compilation of only evangelical viewpoints--no more of those liberals! lololololololol How does CPI work?! (Don't worry I've "!?" to show how eager I'm sure you all are)

Now to the difficult part. You must pull up your boot straps and do some searching--but I promise you fellow students that this is a worthy endeavor (keep thinking of how sweet those muffin crumbs are!)

Go to library.moody.edu and click on "Chicago" (under the eResources by Campus). Once there go to the Christian Periodical Index link--and click! Then search! For today's purpose we chose to search "iconography"--remember since Christian Periodical Index is the "little brother" his search is not as academic...so start off broad and then slowly narrow your way down as you get a feel for the "search results."

After I scoured the list of "indexed resources" for the search "iconography" I chose:

Now the key to remember is that there is no PDF file next to the little folder image! This means you must look up the periodical title! So go back to library.moody.edu and the easiest way to see if Crowell Library has the periodical is to search for the Title--not of the article, but the periodical itself! So I searched "Books and Culture" (please add the quotes so the catalogue knows that you mean business!) (OR you can select Serial Title instead of Title - no it's not cereal that you eat, but serials that you consume by reading!)

Finally arriving at what seems like your destination you must check to see if the issue # is available! So I scope--and ahhh! Eureka! Sept/Oct 2010 is available!

Now for the goldmine. You get to do something I'm sure a majority of students have never ever done! Go to the big brown boxes--next to the computer area in the lower level of Crowell Library and scope for the exact periodical you are looking for! In my case I was searching for "Books and Culture." Because my magazine is "over-sized" it was not in a brown box! And it was just hanging out on the stacks--a bit dusty mind you, but believe me! This over-sized magazine was splendid!

The Christian Periodical Index is well worth your time dear patrons of Crowell Library! Impress your professors and get some resources that they've probably never heard of--but wish they had!