Library Resources for Political Science Graduate Students

Set up off-campus access

• Add proxy bookmarklet to Chrome/Firefox/etc.
  z.umn.edu/proxy
  Click the bookmarklet button to reload the page, prompting you to connect to the UMN Libraries system

• Download the UMN VPN software.
  z.umn.edu/vpn
  Connect to the UMN network off campus. Use “Full Tunnel” to get content provided by the Libraries.

• Add library links to Google Scholar.
  Settings > Library Links > search “minnesota”. Adds “Find It” links connecting to the UMN Libraries system.

Get started with research tools

• Sign into your library account to view loans & requests.
  lib.umn.edu

• Log into Interlibrary Loan & Digital Delivery for the first time.
  z.umn.edu/ill
  The first time you log in, the ILL system will ask you to specify delivery settings and other preferences. Use ILL to request books and articles that the library doesn’t have. Digital Delivery will scan and deliver articles and chapters from our print collection via the same request forms. 

• Download a citation manager.
  lib.umn.edu/services/cm
  A personal database to organize your papers and automatically create and format bibliographies. Start with Zotero, Mendeley, or Endnote.

• Register for an ORCiD if you plan to publish.
  An ORCiD is a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher and is often required for manuscript and grant submissions.
  orcid.org to register.
  z.umn.edu/orcid for more info.

• Reserve a carrel.
  z.umn.edu/carrels
  Wilson and Magrath Libraries have private carrels if you need a space to do library-intensive research. Magrath has limited availability.

• Sign up for a workshop.
  z.umn.edu/workshops

• Bookmark the Political Science research guides.
  A list of shortcuts to important research tools in your discipline.

  • Political Science basic guide:  libguides.umn.edu/political-science

  • Political Science advanced guide: libguides.umn.edu/political-science-advanced

A citation manager is a software tool used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to:

• import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources,
• export your citations into Word documents or other types of publications,
• format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles, and
• include your own notes.

Choosing a citation manager

• Guide to Citation Managers at UMN
• Wikipedia's comparison of reference management software

If you are a TA for a class, there are some additional resources and options for support:

• Contact Jenny for:
  • Custom Library Course Pages (example:  POL 3810)
  • A Zoom classroom instruction session for your students 
  • If your students need one-on-one research help 
• Course Reserves
• Instructor Support