Semester updates - Spring 2022

Study Space Finder

This website or app turns your phone into a study space finding tool. Look at a building and discover a hidden gem on east bank, west bank and St. Paul. 

One minute tours of the big four Libraries

We have a new video tour of our four largest libraries...Let’s go! 

• Wilson Library in 1 minute
• Walter Library in 1 minute
• Magrath Library in 1 minute
• Health Sciences Library in 1 minute

Our Libraries coffee shops are open 

• The coffee shops including the Wise Owl/ecoGrounds in Walter Library and the Academic Blend/Dunn Bros in Wilson Library are open Monday-Friday. 

Looking for space for zoom classes or meetings? 

Unless a space is specifically designated and labeled “quiet” -- you CAN talk (or participate in a zoom meeting) in most of the study spaces -- in the same way you would if you were having a conversation with a person next to you. Get tips for finding space for zoom classes or meetings from the UMN Libraries including details on using empty classrooms for studying. 

Easy-to-use 1:Button Video Production Studios

Reserve a 1:button studio to record or practice an upcoming presentation. These easy to use spaces will record high-quality video projects without any knowledge of lights, sound equipment, and cameras. We have 9 studios across campus -- 6 in Health Sciences Library, 2 in Wilson Library, 1 in Walter Library and 1 in Magrath Library in St. Paul. 

Walter Library’s Toaster/Breakerspace and Health Sciences Library’s Makerspace and VR Studio are open 

The Toaster Innovation Hub is a new space in the basement of Walter Library to learn about idea generation, prototyping and entrepreneurship. The nearby Breakspace features craft kits, a sewing machine, 3D printers, button and sticker makers, VR Headsets, and more. The large Health Sciences Library’s Makerspace has vinyl cutters, 3D printers, sewing machines, soldering irons and more. You can explore the nearby Virtual Reality Studio, too. All majors, years, and skill levels are welcome.

• Schedule a 30-minute online appointment with a Peer Research Consultant (a.k.a. Library research tutor) to get help on picking a paper topic, selecting keywords, searching databases and finding and evaluating high-quality sources. You can also get help getting started with undergraduate research.
   
• The Assignment Calculator gives you steps to complete big research papers and sends reminders to keep you on track.
   
• Never pay for articles or PDFs -- through the library website, lib.umn.edu, you can access 100,000+ online journals, magazines, and newspapers, and more than 1 million online academic books, streaming videos, music, and more. You can also request and get articles and books we don't own.
   
• Avoid plagiarism and properly cite your sources by using tools (like Zotero or Mendeley) to help you collect and organize your research and create in-text citations and your bibliography as you write. Our tools are easier than EasyBib! Most of our article databases will automatically create citations in APA, MLA, and other styles.

Our popular “blind date with a book” is back. Visit a library from Feb. 7 to Feb. 14, select a wrapped book, check it out, unwrap and fall in love (with a good book)!

Library research guides are a great place to start your research. Each guide will have links to article databases and library research tools. The Libraries have over 1000+ research guides. Watch a 1 minute video -- What are library guides and why would I use them? 

The UMN Libraries offer a wide variety of online and in-person workshops. From tips and tricks on time management, getting started with online research or a new skill like bullet journaling, 3D printing or calligraphy. Explore and register for our free online workshops such as:

• Bullet Journaling for Motivation | Wednesday, Jan. 19 | 4 p.m.
• Start strong: Early semester planning | Friday, Jan. 21 | 12:15 p.m.
• Increase your reading efficiency | Wednesday, Jan. 26 | 12 p.m.
• Tips for Taking Notes (IRL and Zoom Lectures) | Thursday, Jan. 27 | 12:30 p.m.
• Introduction to Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) | Friday, Jan. 28 | 12 p.m.
• UMN Libraries on the go: Tips for transfer, commuter, and non-traditional students | Tuesday, Feb. 15 | 7 p.m.

The Libraries employ hundreds of student employees for many different tasks.  You can view current openings on our student jobs page and stay updated by signing up for our email list. 

• Success.umn.edu
• Student Academic Success Services
• SMART Learning Commons online peer tutoring
• Student Writing Support from the Center for Writing
• Student English Language Support 
• Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence

Never get stopped by a message asking you to "buy" and article (sometimes that is called a pay wall)! The University Libraries has millions of online journals, magazine and newspapers -- both subscriptions to "browse" or read a current issue and tools to help you search. 

Use the links below to reach current articles. Remember this is just a sample of what you have access to -- try the search box on our homepage lib.umn.edu to find more.  

Find more information about reading online magazines, current news, commentary and opinion

PAWS at Wilson Library 

Stressed out? Come de-stress and forget about your worries at PAWS! Monthly PAWS sessions at Wilson Library feature registered therapy animal teams—including dogs, chickens, and other domestic animals like cats and rabbits—that you are welcome to interact with and pet. No registration or fee- just show up and pet away.

• Start using a citation management tool to organize your PDFs. These tools then insert in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes and create a bibliography automatically in APA, MLA or hundreds of other styles.
   
• Explore Experts@Minnesota to find and connect with faculty members and researchers across campus who are doing research in fields across campus.
   
• Discover support for finding, organizing and analyzing data from numerical data, to images to interview transcripts to archival collections.
   
• Use tools to find grant funding to see past awards and identify potential funders from federal, public, non-profit and private sectors.
   
• Meet with a Programmer  - Want to experiment with scripting in R or Python? Curious about Git or GitHub? Want advice about how to create a map using GIS? Do you have an idea for a web design project? Schedule an online 30-minute consultation with a programmer from 12-1pm on November 15-19 (Register for November) or December 13-17 (Register for December).
   

• Dissertation calculator - Use the Dissertation Calculator to help plan out your research timeline. Put in your target end date and get a list of major steps in the dissertation process.

• LinkedIn Learning - LinkedIn Learning has high-quality, online training videos for all skill levels including software including excel, coding, learning R, web design, note taking and more.

• Sage Research methods - SAGE Research Methods is a tool designed to help scholars of all levels create research projects in their specific discipline and understand the methods behind them.

• Ask an Expert videos from UMN Graduate School - Ask an Expert is a series of short videos that address important topics around academic and professional development for graduate students. Each video is made by a UMN expert for a UMN graduate student!

Explore more services and tools in our Services for Graduate Students guide