Interlibrary Loan
Items not available in the library can usually be obtained at no cost to you
from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). ILL requests usually take
between 1-4 weeks.
Ask Us
You can chat with
a reference librarian M-F 1-4 and M 5-9. At the same link, you can set up a consultation
appointment or send a question via email (responses typically arrive within two
business days).
University of MN--Twin Cities
As students at MSU, you can gain access to most of the University of MN's
collections and databases. You will need to complete a form available at the
reference or circulation desks, which will need to be verified at the circulation
desk. Upon bringing this form to UM, you will be given access until the end
of their term. Upon that time, you can repeat the process for another term
of access.
Reference Materials
Reference materials are the books on the first floor near the blue circulation
desk. These books provide background information, facts, statistics, quotes,
and
other short bits of information. The books include subject encyclopedias, dictionaries,
and handbooks. For example, the library has dictionaries for geography and handbooks
for earth science. Such specialized materials will often give more detailed information
than general encyclopedias (e.g., Britannica) & dictionaries (e.g., Oxford English
Dictionary). Reference materials are arranged by call number and can be found
by using the MSU Library Catalog.
Journals
Journals, magazines, and newspapers are located on the east side of the library
in the "Periodicals" area. (The direction you are facing when you first walk
in is North.) The items in periodicals are arranged by call number. Use the
Serials List to determine if a journal
is available in Periodicals or online.
Electronic Resources
The library provides access to over
200 electronic resources, or finding tools, available through a browser
to find citations, abstracts, and some full-text articles.
1. Identify the major concepts of your topic and determine synonyms for each concept.
2. Select appropriate search tools. Consider the scope, medium and availability of search tool, search features available, and information given of research tools to assist with selecting which ones to use.
3. Try searching for your concept(s), refining your search as needed.
If you are getting too
many results, try:
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If you are getting too
few results, try:
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