Services for Students
As a student, physical or virtual,
you will likely be spending a lot of
time at the Library. If that's not a part of your plans, you'd
better re-think it because the Library is the most happening place on
campus! Oh yeah!
...All right, so you can't be expected to agree. You know that old "be quiet in the Library" stereotype? It's still true. Here are some general rules that should be followed:
Also, if you are a student with Special Needs, you can learn more about our services for you here.
Research is hard, but it doesn't have to feel that way. Since lists seem to be all the rage these days, here's a Top Ten list (not ranked by importance) of things you should know about if you want to make your academic career easier and happier:
1. We are here to help you.
The Librarians at the Reference Department are actually here to help you. That is what we do. If we ever seem too busy, remember that. Visit our Reference web page to find out what we can do and how to contact us.
2. A Tour of the Library
This place can sometimes seem confusing and large, but that can easily be sorted out. Here's a brief pictorial tour of the library. With audio or without; it's your choice.
3. Subject Guides
These guides, written by our own Librarians, can get you going in the right direction by giving you an overview of what we have available and how to find those resources.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Some questions we are asked are very common. We've collected many of those so that you can get an answer quickly.
5. Tutorials and Presentations
Speaking of that... we at the Library have produced a number of presentations for classes and the web that explain not only the library but particular subjects. You can view them here, or even link to them.
6. Play, Play, Play
Don't forget that after you graduate, you likely won't have these fantastic resources anymore. Our databases can give you access to journals, magazine, and newspapers from around the world, and even one that you wouldn't think of as being "serious." Try searching for things at interest you in EBSCO, LexisNexis, or JSTOR. Try looking for companies you've heard about in Mergent.
Not only will you get "free" information, but you will also get better at using these resources. And you can do it all day and night, because we also have...
7. Off-Campus access
The Library can be with you even when you are not here. Go to this page to learn how.
Besides just being able to log in, you can also sometimes create accounts with our database that can help you organize your research. Some of our databases have ways of keeping track of your searches and remembering results for you. EBSCO and JSTOR currently offer this service. It makes it easier to keep your research in order.
Even our own catalog keeps track of your library records! Just click "my account" and again use your CWID (or SSN for Delta) and your birth month and birth year in the format "MMYY" to log in.
8. The Library Computer Lab
The Computer Lab can allow you to print (ULM students only) and give you access to programs such as Microsoft Office, SciFinder Scholar 2007, End Note, and more. End Note is a program that saves and exports citations, so it can be very useful if you have a lot of resources to keep track of.
9. Yeah, About Wikipedia...
It's not a secret anymore, and it hasn't been for a while now. Adults know you're going here, and your professors don't like it one bit (and rightly so). Never try to use this as a resource without expressed approval. It's not that bad to read it, though, if you know how to use it. Keep in mind that it is written by a) Anyone and b) Obsessives and fanatics (that's meant in the best way possible, of course!). If an article is any good, it will give you references that will take you to the source the information came from. If that's a trusted resource you can use it, and large article will have many such links collected for you. Also, don't forget that you can edit Wikipedia if it's missing something; it won't improve without your input.
How can you know if a source on the internet is one you can trust? We have a page with some tips for that here. And what's the difference between a scholarly one and a popular one? We have a page for that too.
10. Yeah, About Google..
We all use it and we all love it. However, it can only get you free information. The resources we have at this Library cost money, and there's a reason for that. It can be quite useful however, to know how to use Google properly. Searching "in quotes" for exact phrases and using + or - to mean and/or is useful. Try out the advanced search too. You may be used to simply putting words into Google, but this will not always work. Try out the Advanced Search to get more results that you want and less that you don't. There is also a special version of Google dedicated to searching U.S. Government information.
...All right, so you can't be expected to agree. You know that old "be quiet in the Library" stereotype? It's still true. Here are some general rules that should be followed:
Also, if you are a student with Special Needs, you can learn more about our services for you here.
Top Ten Things to Know About
Research is hard, but it doesn't have to feel that way. Since lists seem to be all the rage these days, here's a Top Ten list (not ranked by importance) of things you should know about if you want to make your academic career easier and happier:
1. We are here to help you.
The Librarians at the Reference Department are actually here to help you. That is what we do. If we ever seem too busy, remember that. Visit our Reference web page to find out what we can do and how to contact us.
2. A Tour of the Library
This place can sometimes seem confusing and large, but that can easily be sorted out. Here's a brief pictorial tour of the library. With audio or without; it's your choice.
3. Subject Guides
These guides, written by our own Librarians, can get you going in the right direction by giving you an overview of what we have available and how to find those resources.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Some questions we are asked are very common. We've collected many of those so that you can get an answer quickly.
5. Tutorials and Presentations
Speaking of that... we at the Library have produced a number of presentations for classes and the web that explain not only the library but particular subjects. You can view them here, or even link to them.
6. Play, Play, Play
Don't forget that after you graduate, you likely won't have these fantastic resources anymore. Our databases can give you access to journals, magazine, and newspapers from around the world, and even one that you wouldn't think of as being "serious." Try searching for things at interest you in EBSCO, LexisNexis, or JSTOR. Try looking for companies you've heard about in Mergent.
Not only will you get "free" information, but you will also get better at using these resources. And you can do it all day and night, because we also have...
7. Off-Campus access
The Library can be with you even when you are not here. Go to this page to learn how.
Besides just being able to log in, you can also sometimes create accounts with our database that can help you organize your research. Some of our databases have ways of keeping track of your searches and remembering results for you. EBSCO and JSTOR currently offer this service. It makes it easier to keep your research in order.
Even our own catalog keeps track of your library records! Just click "my account" and again use your CWID (or SSN for Delta) and your birth month and birth year in the format "MMYY" to log in.
8. The Library Computer Lab
The Computer Lab can allow you to print (ULM students only) and give you access to programs such as Microsoft Office, SciFinder Scholar 2007, End Note, and more. End Note is a program that saves and exports citations, so it can be very useful if you have a lot of resources to keep track of.
9. Yeah, About Wikipedia...
It's not a secret anymore, and it hasn't been for a while now. Adults know you're going here, and your professors don't like it one bit (and rightly so). Never try to use this as a resource without expressed approval. It's not that bad to read it, though, if you know how to use it. Keep in mind that it is written by a) Anyone and b) Obsessives and fanatics (that's meant in the best way possible, of course!). If an article is any good, it will give you references that will take you to the source the information came from. If that's a trusted resource you can use it, and large article will have many such links collected for you. Also, don't forget that you can edit Wikipedia if it's missing something; it won't improve without your input.
How can you know if a source on the internet is one you can trust? We have a page with some tips for that here. And what's the difference between a scholarly one and a popular one? We have a page for that too.
10. Yeah, About Google..
We all use it and we all love it. However, it can only get you free information. The resources we have at this Library cost money, and there's a reason for that. It can be quite useful however, to know how to use Google properly. Searching "in quotes" for exact phrases and using + or - to mean and/or is useful. Try out the advanced search too. You may be used to simply putting words into Google, but this will not always work. Try out the Advanced Search to get more results that you want and less that you don't. There is also a special version of Google dedicated to searching U.S. Government information.