Don't forget to checkout the tips below on RefWorks, creating links to electronic resources/journals, and more.

About the Library

The University Library provides services and resources in support of all academic programs, research, and intellectual pursuits of the university community. Working closely with faculty, the library staff has developed a strong collection of books, journals, reference works, and databases to meet the ever increasing needs of undergraduates, faculty and graduate students. The library provides a wide array of services and resources that support faculty teaching and research including audio-visual/IT classroom support and the campus PhotoGraphics department. The largest academic building on campus, the library has seating for 1,200 people, and is open seven days a week during the academic year.

Library Liaisons

Contacting the librarian liaison responsible for your subject area is a sure way to get the best understanding of what is available to you. Your librarian liaison will work with you to make the most of all library services including providing library instruction sessions for specific courses, developing collections and resources appropriate for your teaching and research, helping to review or prepare new course and accreditation proposals and by guiding you through the many services the library provides, some of which are listed below.

Research and Resources

Online Electronic Resources and Services

The library’s online electronic resources and services are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The library’s web pages serve as a gateway to numerous services and resources including access to electronic databases, interlibrary loan request forms, and links to other online services. The Voyager online catalog provides access for locating books and materials within the library. Use the UMD Journal Locator to find journals in both paper and electronic formats. Library eResources provide a list of subject and general databases.

Have you tried RefWorks? RefWorks is a Web-based bibliography and database manager that allows you to create your own personal database by importing references from text files or online databases. You can use these references in writing your publications and automatically format the citations and the bibliography when you are ready. NOTE: You can create as many as these bibliographic databases as you wish and even share development and access rights across a group as well.

Database searching (999-8678)

The library also subscribes to fee-based databases. Faculty may request database searches to support their research or instructional interests and the library will absorb the cost up to $100 per semester.

Borrowing (999-8750)

Faculty may borrow library books for a semester. Loan periods for audiovisual materials vary. Faculty must have a UMass ID with a validated library barcode on it for all transactions.

Interlibrary Loan Services (910-6951)

Faculty may request books and journal articles from other libraries through interlibrary loan. The library participates in two virtual catalog projects, the Boston Library Consortium‘s, which includes mostly academic libraries, and the Massachusetts Virtual Catalog, which includes mostly public libraries. Faculty may request books directly through the virtual catalogs using the library barcode on their UMass Pass.

UMD Library - Boston Library Consortium Membership (999-8750)

Faculty can use and borrow materials from any of the nineteen academic and research libraries which make-up the BLC. Cards are issued through the circulation desk on the first floor. A valid UMass ID with library barcode is required. BLC material may also be requested directly through the virtual catalog, accessed through the library’s home page.

At the reference desk (999-8678)

The librarians and staff are trained to answer questions and guide library users to the most appropriate books, media, or databases. Subject librarians are also available to help faculty in locating information that supports their teaching, research, and service activities.

Library Instruction & Course Support

Instructional Services (999-8526)

The library offers instruction and consulting services which are designed to help students, faculty and staff develop essential research skills, while creating an awareness of the full range of library resources and services. Instruction classes range from introductory sessions to more in-depth instruction on specific subject related reference works, databases, and internet resources. Subject librarians can work closely with faculty to develop course integrated assignments, instruction sessions, and customized web class or subject guides. Additionally, subject librarians are happy to offer individual consultations with faculty members to introduce new library resources and refresh their awareness of subject area resources that the library provides.

Reserve Reading (999-8750)

Faculty may place up to twenty-five separate titles per course “on reserve” as assigned reading for students. These items can be library materials, personal copies or photocopies of journal articles or book chapters. All journal articles and book chapters can also be placed on electronic the reserve service ERES, within the limits of fair use of copyright compliance. See the ERES:e-reserves web site for further information.

Audiovisual scheduling (999-8688)

Media and equipment can be scheduled and picked up at the library circulation desk. The Access Services department provides carrels and work areas for individual and group viewing and listening to AV materials on the first floor of the library. In addition, an expanding number of classrooms and lecture halls are equipped with technology (microcomputer, projector, document camera, VCR/DVD player.) All other classrooms are equipped with a VCR, TV, and overhead projector. See the Library's Technology Enabled Classroom web page for complete information. The library also has a small meeting room for up to 30 people and one large group area for up to 100 people. Both of these areas must be scheduled.

Off-Air Videorecording (999-8688)

Programs from public broadcasting and the major national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and Fox) may be recorded for academic use as long as the use fits within the guidelines for fair use of off-air videorecording described in Section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law.

PhotoGraphics Services (999-8694, 999-8693)

The library Photographics Department provides graphic, photographic and videographic services to faculty, students and staff. Department staff members produce photographs, color slides, transparencies, videos, posters and displays for classroom use as well as for presentations and seminars. Images may also be digitized for email and/or web use.

Miscellaneous Services

Photocopiers, Photocopying (999-8665) and Microfilm reader/printers (999- 8667)

Photocopies cost 10 cents per page in the library with discounts available when purchasing photocopy cards from the dispenser located on the 2 nd floor of the library. Faculty can also sign-out journals for photocopying on departmental copiers by going to the Serials Department on the 3 rd floor and filling out the requisite forms.

There is no charge to print from the microfilm/fiche reader/printers on the 3 rd floor. Microfilm/fiche can also be scanned for saving to media or for emailing.

MCLP: Mobile Computing Lending Program (999-8856)

Laptops, handhelds, and portable projectors are available for four hour loan.

UMassD Plagiarism Prevention System via Turnitin

UMass Dartmouth's Plagiarism Prevention System from Turnitin.com is available for use within your class. The Carney Library also offers many other resources including Refworks, a bibliography and database manager, as well as guides on using MLA, APA, and other citation standards. Guides on Avoiding Plagiarism (http://www.lib.umassd.edu/find/plagiarism.pdf) and Citation Styles ( http://www.lib.umassd.edu/get/bibstyleguides.html) are available as well.  We are also happy to discuss the best ways to avoid plagiarism and encourage best practices when utilizing secondary research sources, and paraphrasing and citing those sources, as part of our classroom instruction sessions.

Wireless Access in the Library & on Campus

Wireless access to the internet is available on all six floors of the library and in selected sections on the rest of the campus to registered wireless users UMD students, faculty, and staff.

*Partnerships*

Faculty and librarians regularly work together to enhance classroom instruction. Some recent examples include Mary Adams in Nursing and Linda Zieper in Art History. For example, Ms. Zieper often collaborates with Prof. Magali Carrara by providing in-class instruction and out-of-class research support for the students in Art History. In a recent edition, the class was totally online so Ms. Zieper created a virtual session specifically for the course entitled:

Your Research Project in Feminist Art History: A Virtual Lecture (http://library.umassd.edu/find/classguides/ARH2003/arh380LibPresent.html). In both cases, Ms. Adams and Ms. Zieper provided additional support online via email, through the library’s online Reference service, RefOnline (http://www.lib.umassd.edu/find/RefQuest.cfm), and by meeting with students directly when possible. Partnerships such as these enable faculty and librarians to work together to enhance the students educational experience.