The North South University (NSU) Library successfully organized a hands-on workshop titled “Unlocking Academic Articles: Smart Database Search” on Thursday, November 27, 2025, with the aim of strengthening students’ academic research and information literacy skills. The workshop focused on helping students identify relevant and reliable sources of information, distinguish between different types of information resources, evaluate sources using appropriate criteria, and build effective search strategies. Participants were also introduced to advanced search techniques to obtain the most relevant results and locate suitable resources for conducting comprehensive literature searches.

The session was conducted by Dr. Md. Zahid Hossain Shoeb, University Librarian of North South University, who guided the workshop with his extensive experience in research support and academic literature searching. During the session, he explained the information timeline, discussed various types of information sources, and demonstrated key tools for accessing academic resources. He also showcased different literature searching techniques to help students efficiently filter and refine information from vast academic databases. Practical demonstrations included using NSU-subscribed e-resources, applying advanced search features, and using Boolean operators to narrow down search results effectively.

Held at the Library Cyber & Audio-Visual Section (E-Resources Browsing Area), the workshop drew a large number of undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines. The participants actively engaged in hands-on exercises, step-by-step demonstrations, and interactive discussions, which significantly enhanced their understanding of academic information searching and database use.

Through this initiative, the NSU Library reaffirmed its commitment to supporting students’ academic and research development. The workshop equipped students with essential information literacy and analytical skills, increasing their confidence in conducting effective literature searches for coursework and research projects. The library plans to continue organizing similar training programs throughout the year to further strengthen students’ research competencies and promote effective use of scholarly information resources.