Are you a late-stage dissertation writer? Attend this free, week-long retreat focusing on both strategies for completing and how to plan for life after the dissertation.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will include workshops and presentations; free lunch and childcare will be provided. CWC consultants will be available to assist with any writing questions, and librarians will be available for research assistance. Register at bit.ly/dwr2020 by December 14 to reserve free childcare provided by the Lipman Early Learning and Research Center, catered lunch, coffee, tea, and breakfast snacks, and study room. Monday and Friday, enjoy quiet space devoted to writing.
The Libraries’ QuickSearch allows you to search a ton of library databases all at once (though, unfortunately, it can’t search all of them, so don’t give up if you can’t find what you’re looking for on QuickSearch!). QuickSearch is more robust than Google Scholar, and it shows you materials you can access as a UofM student/employee! We created a “Find and Download Full Text Articles in UofM Libraries QuickSearch” video (7 min.) to help guide you through the process, too.
Here are a few tips and tricks to make the most out of your QuickSearch experience: Continue reading →
The University Libraries are here to help you at every step of your relationship with the University of Memphis. One of the best resources we provide are Research Guides designed to offer insight into resources that could be useful to you in your chosen field of study. However, you might need something a little more general to help you move forward.
That’s why the Libraries have created Orientation Research Guides. Whether you are new to the University as an undergraduate student, are continuing your studies in Graduate School, we have an orientation guide for you. We *also* have guides for students who are studying abroad or study online.
These guides will fill you in on the library services and resources that will be the most beneficial for where you are at, whether that is your first research paper, or you are preparing to teach your first class, or you are studying in Costa Rica or your hometown in Wisconsin.
If you have questions about the University Libraries, we have answers! Find out what the Libraries can do for you (did someone say free 3D printing? GoPro cameras for check-out? Wii and XBox? Research help? eBooks? Group study rooms? Quiet study space? Oh yeah they did!) while you enjoy a slice of pizza next Wednesday from 12:00 – 2:00 in the Rotunda of the McWherter Library.
The Libraries wants to make sure you, our awesome student-parent, get info that might make your academic life easier this semester.
A new space in McWherter Library just for you: Kids welcome!
Thanks to the findings of our Fall student-parent focus groups, McWherter Library bought new kid-sized furniture and toys to keep kids entertained while student-parents study, print, or research at the library. The space will be located in the 1st floor creatorspace, the sandbox., an enclosed room next to the Check-Out Desk. The creatorspace is open the same hours of the library. Please don’t leave your children by themselves in the space! Don’t forget to check out our collection of kid’s books on the 3rd floor, too!
Baby steps towards making McWherter Library kid-friendly!
Text-to-audio: Listen to your readings
Listen to your readings on your commute, at soccer practice, or while you’re cooking dinner. Find options to download .mp3 directly from library databases, like so:
If you don’t see that option, download the PDF and use a free software converter, like Zamzar, to convert the PDF to a downloadable .mp3 file.
Tutorials on choosing + using library databases
Using library resources can be confusing – we get it. The Libraries’ online tutorials walk you through how to develop a topic, choose databases, and learn more about citations. Watch this 3-minute video on how to find relevant databases from the Memphis homepage:
Personal research help in-person and online with a UofM librarian
Research is hard! You don’t have to research alone. Get one-on-one research help with a UofM librarian (we’re real!) in-person or online from 8 am to 8 pm most weekdays, and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. Get research help today. Check out our research guides, a place to help you get started with your research at any time.
Writing is also hard. McWherter Library houses the Center for Writing and Communication (CWC). Writing tutors will help in-person or online with everything from brainstorming, to final drafts, to a job application cover letter.
The library doesn’t have it? Use interlibrary loan (ILL).
Interlibrary loan (ILL) is a free service for you to use. If the library doesn’t have a journal article, book, DVD, or other materials (we can’t loan eBooks yet), you can still access it. Journal articles are delivered as a link to your @memphis email in days. Books and other physical materials are delivered to your closest UofM library if you’re an on-campus student. If you’re an eCampus student, you can have materials mailed to your home. Learn more about ILL.
Events at the Libraries
Health Sciences Library, Music Library, and McWherter Library all have great programs, from library database workshops to Adobe Illustrator training sessions! Check out our list of events!
The Libraries have been working to hire a Lambuth campus librarian for a while; thank you for your patience while we find someone to assist you in Jackson, TN! UofM librarians in Memphis will help you with your research help online.
If you have more suggestions for how to make the University Libraries a more family-friendly space, please email Rachel Scott and Brannen Varner, librarians at the University of Memphis.
The Libraries will have new extended hours during Maymester! May 11 through May 29, McWherter Library will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The library will be closed on the weekends, as well as Wednesday, May 13 for Personnel Development Day and Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day. Visit our website for more information on the Libraries’ hours.
Need help with a paper or project? Feel free to ask a librarian any time! Visit Ask a Librarian on the Libraries’ homepage. You can chat with a librarian, text @ 901-201-5389, email us at askus@memphis.libanswers.com, or call 901-678-2208. One-on-one research consultations can also be scheduled, and get answers to simple questions by clicking on the FAQ link. Don’t get frustrated. Ask a Librarian!
If you’ve had problems with QuickSearch, please let us know! Most problems can be fixed by clearing cache; click here for directions.
The faculty and staff of the University Libraries wish you pleasant and relaxing Winter Break and a happy New Year! Congratulations to the December 2014 graduates and their families. For our interim hours, please click here. Don’t forget to visit our exhibition, “From Active Duty to Veteran: Honoring Military Service in America,” on view in the rotunda and on the fourth floor of McWherter Library until January 16.
The Libraries continues to encourage and support undergraduate research at the University of Memphis. This semester, the Libraries was part of two honors research forums taught by Dr. Pam Dennis and Cody Behles. Professor Dennis’ class, “Surviving the Research Blues: A Historical Approach,” focused on local history and civil rights issues. The students consulted the Libraries’ special collections and other primary resources to inform their final projects, which they presented at the December meeting of the West Tennessee Historical Society. Professor Behles introduced his students to issues concerning scholarly communication in the 21st century. The class spent time in the Memphis and Shelby County Room at the Memphis Public Library examining and mapping communication networks of Memphians throughout history. For more information about undergraduate research on campus, visit the web site of QuaesitUM, a peer-reviewed annual publication that showcases students’ work in all disciplines.
Dr. Dennis and her UNHP 1100 students
We’re pleased to announce we have subscribed to Browzine, an app which allows users to access our paid electronic periodical content through their mobile devices in a display that emulates physical bookshelves. Thank you to all across campus who participated in the trial; your feedback was appreciated. If you have not already, download the app and follow these instructions to start browsing the Libraries’ collection of journals! Feel free to contact Cody Behles (cbehles@memphis.edu) with any questions.
Finally, the University Libraries is thrilled to welcome Athena the tigress back to her home in front of McWherter Library. Athena had been away receiving much needed repairs, and she returns to the University of Memphis as a powerful symbol of wisdom. We thank artist Pam Cobb and the Friends of the University Libraries for their generous support of her care.
We look forward to serving our University of Memphis communities in 2015!
We hope you had a pleasant Fall Break! As the semester progresses, we continue to offer additional ways to connect students and faculty to our resources.
The University Libraries has arranged for a trial of BrowZine, a new app for mobile devices, until November 21, 2014. BrowZine allows users to access our paid electronic periodical content through their mobile devices in a display that emulates physical bookshelves.
Sample screen from BrowZine app
Here’s how to try BrowZine:
From your iPad, iPhone (please note that BrowZine works best on iPad 2 or later), or Android device, download BrowZine from the App Store, Google Play, or Kindle/Amazon store and install it.
When you open BrowZine for the first time, you will see a list of schools. Select the University of Memphis, then enter your user ID and password (same as for other University Libraries’ resources). Choose the subject areas and start browsing! Don’t forget to let us know what you think of BrowZine by leaving a comment on the blog or e-mailing Cody Behles at cbehles@memphis.edu.
The next time you’re in McWherter Library, be sure to browse our two New Additions bookcases located on either side of the Circulation desk. Acquired titles are also posted on our Pinterest page and often highlighted on Twitter and Facebook.
Research question? Keep calm and ask a librarian!
Whether you are working at home or on-campus, the University Libraries’ staff is happy to help with your research. Visit our Ask a Librarian page for a list of FAQs and multiple ways to contact us including text, chat, and e-mail; there’s even a form you can submit if you’re having technical difficulties with the Libraries’ online resources. For writing help, please make an appointment with the Center for Writing and Communication located near the reference desk on the first floor of McWherter Library.
The University Libraries will celebrate national Banned Books Week and the freedom to read September 21-27, 2014. This year, we will focus on comics and graphic novels with special programs and a one-of-a-kind exhibit in McWherter Library. Remember to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages during Banned Books Week and throughout the year for event updates, new resources, research tips, and featured images from our Special Collections.
Webinar: Regional Issues on Banned Books Wednesday, September 24, 11:00 a.m.-noon Room 226, McWherter Library
Travel to London, South Carolina, Texas and California to learn about efforts to un-ban books. Free and open to the public.
Panel Discussion: Comics and Graphic Novels in the Academy Wednesday, September 24, 3:00-4:30 p.m. Room 226, McWherter Library
Dr. Stephen Tabachnick (Department of English), Dr. Linde Brocato (University Libraries), Dr. Melanie Conroy (Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures), and Esther Saltzman (Department of English) will explore the path to acceptance of the graphic novel in academe. Topics include the history of comics and caricatures, censorship, teaching graphic adaptations of literary works, and cataloging graphic formats for most effective access by all library users. Moderated by Community Engagement Librarian Jennifer Schnabel. Free and open to the public.
Comics/Graphic Novels Meetup for U of M Students Friday, September 26, 1:00-2:30 p.m. The Fishbowl (first floor of McWherter Library)
Drop by and meet other students who share an interest in comics and graphic novels! Bring your own comics and novels to inspire discussion or browse the Libraries’ collections on display. Hosted by Library Assistant Casey Parkman. Free and open to all U of M students.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Schnabel at jschnbel@memphis.edu or 901.678.8210.
