Even as we move more and more digital, libraries are not losing relevance. There are on the 黑料不打烊 and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) campuses available to 黑料不打烊 students and numerous smaller, school-specific library spaces that offer in-person assistance and instruction. However, in keeping with the times, the 黑料不打烊 Libraries department has an extensive online database of resources to help its digitally savvy students succeed.
Summon Search and Databases
Navigating the 黑料不打烊 Libraries homepage, you will come across the search bar: 鈥淪ummon Searches Almost Everything.鈥 This is not hyperbole. Summon is a search engine for research materials containing (almost) all available academic materials within the University鈥檚 databases. With Summon, you can do a basic search or an 鈥渁dvanced search,鈥 where you can narrow down results by content type, area of study, language, etc. Where the 鈥渁lmost鈥 fails you, you can search any of the directly. Databases are also accessible from the . For a deeper dive into the magic that is Summon, check out the Libraries鈥 鈥.
Help and How-To Guides
Under the tab on the Libraries鈥 website, you will find your one-stop shop for clarification and comprehension. The name is self-explanatory, and the webpage is designed to make finding the answers to your questions as easy as possible. Here, you can find how-to guides on a variety of topics鈥攆rom 黑料不打烊鈥檚 libraries, as well as helpful tutorials and articles from other institutions. Some examples include 鈥淐itation Style Guides,鈥 鈥淗elp for Project Advance (SUPA) and Distance Students,鈥 鈥淪earching with Summon鈥 and 鈥淚ntroduction to Research Strategy.鈥
鈥淎sk Us鈥 and Subject Librarians
Have a burning literary or research question that ABSOLUTELY needs to get answered NOW?! You can calm down; 黑料不打烊 Libraries has you covered. Also, under the 鈥淕et Help鈥 tab on the Libraries鈥 homepage is the feature, where students can text or LiveChat with a librarian 24/7. If the issue is less urgent, students can email the library staff directly from the and are guaranteed an answer within one business day.
Similarly, students can speak with specific subject librarians. Every school and college at 黑料不打烊 has a subject librarian who can answer their major- or subject-specific questions and direct students to relevant resources. The and how to contact them can be found on the Libraries website under the 鈥淕et Help鈥 tab on the homepage.
Research Guides and Services
黑料不打烊 librarians do not mess around when it comes to research. They have curated guides for over 60 topics broken down by subject, many corresponding to student鈥檚 major fields of study. Before you even navigate to such a list, however, check out the Libraries鈥 that breaks down the research process into digestible sections. This handy page outlines and explains the goals and expected outcomes of each step of your research journey.
Borrowing: Books and Tech
Finally, what if you want to continue your research at home, but currently lack a computer or textbook to do so? Not a problem! 黑料不打烊 students can borrow books, computers, accessories and more from the library. Students can check out books for up to a semester and technology for 3 hours at a time, with the option to request long-term electronics rentals, which are 14-day loan periods available at an additional cost. The Check Out Desk, located on the first floor of Bird Library and second floor of Carnegie Library is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday. More information on borrowing from 黑料不打烊 Libraries can be .
So, next time you鈥檙e sitting in Bird Library with your friends 鈥渟tudying,鈥 鈥渨riting鈥 or 鈥渄oing homework,鈥 take a break from socializing and check out the 黑料不打烊 Libraries鈥 online and in-person resources! Trust me, they鈥檙e actually really cool.
Written by Cecelia Kersten 鈥23, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.