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Libraries & online resources available during COVID-19
The UMN Libraries spaces are different due to COVID-19 AND we are here to help with your research online!
Studying at the Libraries during Covid-19
Four of our largest libraries are open - Wilson Library (west bank), Walter Library Health Sciences Library (east bank), and Magrath Library (St. Paul). These spaces are open for current U of M students with U Cards. Per University guidelines, masks are required. We have reconfigured furniture and are requiring physical distancing with one student per table. You can reserve a study room - one person per room. The coffee shops in Wilson and Walter are closed. Read through our FAQs for more details on visiting.
Getting physical materials from the Libraries
If you know the item you are looking for, search by title or author or search by your keywords in Libraries search. You can go to our open libraries to find your items or browse the stacks. Or sign in to Libraries search and place a “get it” request. You can pick up items at one of our four open buildings — Wilson Library, Walter Library, Health Science Libraries, and Magrath Library — or have them delivered to your office, home, or residence hall. You can also request to have part of a book or physical item scanned and we will send it electronically with our Digital Delivery service. Read through our FAQs including details on checking out and returning materials.
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Online library resources and services for students during COVID-19You can connect virtually to our libraries, librarians and staff and get millions of online books and many services and resources online.
Get research help online! Schedule an online consultation!
Help isn’t available in our spaces this semester, instead use Chat with a librarian 24/7, schedule an online consultation with a librarian or schedule a 30 minute virtual appointment with a Peer Research Consultant (a.k.a. peer tutor for library research).
Getting started - planning and finding background info on topic
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Assignment CalculatorEnter in the due date for your research project (paper, speech, lab report) and get a suggested time-line for completing with links to the resources to help you succeed in each step. Optional: sign up for reminder via text.
Finding Background Information
These online sources can help you to choose and refine your topic. They will also provide you with the background information and keywords and search terms.
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CQ ResearcherCQ Researcher provides in-depth coverage of important issues of the day. Reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted, and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Shorter "Hot Topics" articles provide a solid introduction to subjects in demand.
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Public AgendaThis free site provided extensive information on current and controversial issues such as abortion and legal gaming, the family, education etc. Each segment has an overview, facts and trends, different perspectives, links to news stories, and results of public opinion polls.
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Opposing Viewpoints in ContextFind articles on current issues, including viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, magazine and newspaper articles.
Tutorial: Choosing a research paper topic
- Find ideas and language on a topic using online tools and techniques
- Use techniques like mind mapping, the 5W’s, and freeform writing to narrow a large topic
Find articles from academic journals
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Academic Search PremierA great place to start your research on any topic, search multidisciplinary, scholarly research articles. This database provides access to scholarly and peer reviewed journals, popular magazines and other resources.
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JSTORFind full text articles in academic journals or books on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. JSTOR provides articles from the journal's first issue.
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ScopusSearch for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Find newspapers and magazines
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Global NewsstreamNo longer available as of July 1, 2020. See U.S. Newsstream.
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Ethnic NewsWatchEthnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press from 1990, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives.
Find statistics and public opinion
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Statistical InsightSearch statistical publications from US and state government agencies, international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, business organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, and universities.
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iPoll (Roper Center for Public Opinion Research)iPOLL is a collection of polling sources from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. It includes surveys from 150 polling organizations that include all major news outlets, Gallup polls, and other research institutions. Use these polls to compare public opinion from 1935-present on a range of issues.
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Polling the NationsPolling the Nations is an online database of public opinion polls containing the full text of 700,000+ questions and responses, from 18,000+ surveys and 1,700+ polling organizations, conducted from 1986 through the present in the United States and more than 100 other countries around the world.
Citing your sources (e.g. MLA, APA, etc.)
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Citation Tools (e.g. Zotero, Mendeley, etc.)Citation tools will help you save and organize PDFs then have plug-ins to insert in-text citations (or footnotes) and create a list of references or bibliography in APA, MLA, and hundreds of other styles.
Many article databases (e.g. Academic Search Premier, Google Scholar) will create a citation for you. After you found the item, look for "cite" or "quotes." Here are examples:
In Google Scholar:
In Academic Search Premier:
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Chicago Manual of Style OnlineThis resource provides online access to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, which covers a variety of topics from manuscript preparation and publication to grammar, usage, and citation formating. The citation quick guide covers both the author-date and the notes and bibliography systems.
Get help from the U Libraries - Online!
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Peer Research ConsultantsMake an online 30 minute appointment for one-on-one peer assistance with your research. Get help with researching your topic, finding sources, citing sources and more. Peer Research Consultants can also help you get started with faculty-sponsored research.
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Chat 24/7 Online with the LibrariesAsk us anything! Chat with a librarian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with any research or library questions.
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Schedule an online consultation with the LibrariesSchedule an online consultations for personalized research support primarily for University of Minnesota faculty, instructors, graduate and undergraduate students and staff.
Review - Intro to Library Research Tutorial
- Identify strategies for choosing a research topic
- Search effectively
- Identify and use a library database
- Evaluate sources
Tutorial: What does it mean to be a scholarly source?
- Recognize a scholarly (versus a popular) source
- Understand how a scholarly source differs from other types of sources
