Welcome to the University of Minnesota!
The Libraries are for all University of Minnesota students, faculty, and staff!
Our libraries are great for browsing popular selections AND our website is your place to get the high-quality sources you desire. You can connect virtually with our librarians and staff and access millions of books, journals, magazines, newspapers and services online.
Why use the Libraries and the website?
It is good for you and the work you do here!
Many people think of a "library" as a book warehouse. When we say "library" we mean more than just the books and buildings. A library is:
1. The website (lib.umn.edu) - Access millions of resources through the University Libraries without ever leaving your home! Log into lib.umn.edu with your UMN ID and password to explore online books and articles, watch a streaming documentary, or read an online newspaper.
2. The librarians, staff, and students ready to help you get started with papers and projects, find and use information, and help you get the grades you want. Help is available virtually by consultation or 24/7 chat!
Learn More Here:
Having trouble with accessing YouTube? Try our Mediaspace video: https://mediaspace.umn.edu/media/t/1_asrw2prd
Get to know our spaces! We have a spot for you!
The libraries are a great place to relax, reserve a group study room, print, try the Makerspaces, or get a cup of coffee. And remember the website, lib.umn.edu is the place to go to get millions of online books, newspapers, journals and magazines.
Visit a library or watch our 1 minute tours:
East bank
- Walter Library in 1 minute
- Architecture Library (in Rapson Hall)
- Math Library (in Vincent Hall)
- Health Sciences Library in 1 minute (in Phillips-Wangensteen Building)
West bank
- Wilson Library in 1 minute
- Music Library in 1 minute (in Ferguson Hall)
St. Paul campus
- Magrath Library in 1 minute
- Natural Resources Library (in Hodson Hall)
Off campus - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska
Popular Reading Collections
Though the UMN Libraries are an academic library, we have fun books too! Use Libraries Search on lib.umn.edu to search for titles in our full collection, or browse our popular reading collections below!
Get It book delivery
Get It delivers loanable library materials to your choice of campus library location, campus office, or home. Available to current students, staff, and faculty. Search for an item, sign in to view full records, and click Get It to have an item routed or mailed to you.
Book matchmaking
Having trouble finding a book you really love? Looking for something fun or different in your reading life? Fill out a short form about your reading life and our expert book matchmakers will email you a list of three books from the University of Minnesota libraries that match what you are looking for.
Browse Popular Reading Collections
- Wilson LibraryThe Robert and Virginia McCollister Collection for Contemporary Literature is located on the 1st Floor of Wilson Library.
- Walter LibraryThe Walter popular reading collection is located in Walter’s Great Hall on the 2nd floor.
- Magrath LibraryThe Magrath popular reading collection reflects subjects taught on the St. Paul Campus, as well as books across a range of fiction genres. It is located across from the service desk on the ground floor.
Streaming music and video
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You can stream and watch documentaries and many arts focused films including Opera and Theater performances. We have a bunch of online streaming music collections -- primarily these are for the music students but we all get to take advantage of them. Keep in mind that any of these sources, even songs, can also be used as part of a future research project! |
Music Online: Smithsonian Global Sound
Stream music online including the collections of the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings with music from cultures all over the world.
Video streaming platform hosting a wide variety of award-winning films and documentaries.
Provides award-winning documentaries on race and gender studies, human rights, globalization and global studies, multiculturalism, international relations, criminal justice, the environment, bioethics, health, political science and current events, psychology, arts, literature, and more.
Online collection of recorded music in streaming audio -- primarily classical music, plus smaller collections of world music and jazz.
UMN Libraries Streaming Video Collections Guide
This is a guide of university licensed and freely available quality digital (mostly streaming) video online resources.
Newspapers & magazines
Never get stopped by a message asking you to "buy" an 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.
New York Times (1980 to present)
Full-text coverage of the New York Times to present day. Does not include photos, illustrations, ads, wire stories, or other page-image level access. (via ProQuest Newsstream)
Minneapolis Star Tribune (1986 to present)
One of the major local Twin Cities newspapers.
Get WSJ.com subscription through the library. Sign up for a personal account at the link above. Access to the articles, photographs, charts, podcasts, videos and other premium content available on the WSJ.COM website back to the 2010. Mobile app access is included in the subscription.
St. Paul Pioneer Press (2010 to 2019)
Full digital replicas of recent content from the newspaper (including full-text articles, photos, illustrations, ads, etc.). Does not include the most recent 3 months of content. (via ProQuest Recent Newspapers)
Washington Post (1987 to present)
Full-text articles from the recent issues of the Post, as well as some online content (blogs, videos) from more recent years. Does not include wire stories, ads, photos or other image-based content from the paper. (via ProQuest Newsstream)
The student newspaper for the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is available online (2002-present). Older issues are available on microfilm in the Newspaper Room, Basement, Wilson Library. Articles from 1900-1977 can be identified using the digitized Minnesota Daily index on the UDC. There is also a full web archive of the MN Daily site, including video content, available from April 2019 to present.
A complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images.
The New Yorker is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry.
The Atlantic Monthly is a literary and cultural commentary magazine.
Librarians, experts and archivists - ready to help!
The UMN Libraries has a librarian for every department on campus. Librarians do a bunch of different things -- more than just read books! Librarians buy our online and print collections, meet with students and faculty on their research topics and teach classes and workshops. Librarians help students at our service points and on chat 24/7 with research questions, use our equipment like video cameras and 3D printers, and use special software like making maps and data visualizations.
Archivists and curators help students and faculty with our unique and historic collections. They organize and grow these collections along with digitizing materials and objects. They also make exhibits and help researchers from around the country find what they need.
- List of librarians by college
- Request a virtual consultation
- Chat 24/7 Online with the Libraries
Ask us anything! Chat with a librarian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with any research or library questions.
Our approach to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility
Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are the guiding principles for every aspect of work in the University Libraries. As individuals, and as a whole, we commit to actions that reject racism and advance social justice. We must be anti-racist, foster diversity and equity, and ensure inclusion and belonging.
- We commit to the intentional creation of spaces and services, both in-person and online, with inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in mind.
- We commit to having material in our collections that embody greater representation.
- We commit to fostering a more diverse workforce by re-examining and changing our recruitment, hiring, training, and staff development practices.
- We commit to being transparent about, supporting, and making visible, the inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility work that happens within the Libraries.
- We commit to listening to, and taking guidance from, the BIPOC and marginalized groups in our broader communities (our Libraries, all libraries, the University, the Twin Cities, and the state of Minnesota) to create a space for learning that is safe physically, emotionally, and intellectually.