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Libraries are no longer just where you go to find information—they’re where you go to make sense of it. Sarah Thorngate, head of research and education at Loyola University Chicago Libraries, says that libraries have more to offer than most people realize: “What we’ve learned as librarians over these years is that we’re still needed, but instead of being needed to find information, we’re needed to help people sort through the ridiculous amount of information that is out there, which is overwhelming.”
Whether you’re a new student figuring out the basics, a graduate student diving deeper, or a faculty member who is well established in their field, here are five things worth knowing:
1. Course Reserves can save you money on textbooks
With the rising cost of textbooks, Course Reserves lets faculty members set aside required materials, such as textbooks, articles, and readings, for students to borrow for short periods. This service is available at the Cudahy and Lewis Libraries.
“Textbooks are really expensive, and so it’s a way that we can share and use the libraries resources to have shared access to a textbook or course content,” Thorngate says.
Pro tip: Check the library website to see if your course reserve material is available to borrow before making the trip.
2. eCommons makes Loyola research free to the world
The eCommons is a networked repository system for collecting, preserving, and providing access to scholarly material produced by the Loyola community, including faculty research, theses and dissertations, award-winning student work, and more. All Loyola faculty can contribute; students can submit theses, dissertations, and faculty-co-authored work.
“There’s an ethic in libraries that’s been around for a long time, which is that information should be free,” Thorngate says. “The goal is to have open access to research done by [Ramblers].”
3. Every academic department has a designated subject librarian
Upon request, a subject librarian can collaborate with faculty to teach information literacy and library research skills. At the undergraduate level, subject librarians teach the skills, knowledge, and disposition needed to navigate the information environment. For graduate students, subject librarians teach field-specific research resources and emerging tools, as well as instructing strategies for keeping up with and contributing to scholarly and professional conversations. Library instruction services include course-integrated instruction, research consultations, assignment design, curriculum mapping, and workshops.
4. Research is a skill worth learning
For help with an in-depth research project, anyone can book a one-on-one research consultation, get quick help by stopping by the research help desk at Lewis Library, Cudahy Library, or the Information Commons, or chat with the “Ask a Librarian” tool online.
“Research is one of the more challenging things we ask students to do, and it’s one of the more important learning outcomes for a student,” Thorngate says. “It’s a lifelong learning skill… it’s also something employers say they look for in recent graduates.”
Pro-tip: Loyola Librarians have created subject-specific research guides with curated databases, resources, and tools organized by academic discipline.
5. Interlibrary Loan Services gets you materials Loyola doesn’t have, for free
Can’t find a book, article, or dissertation in Loyola’s collection? Interlibrary Loan allows students, faculty, and staff to request materials from other libraries at no cost. You are able to request books, individual chapters from books, journal articles, dissertations and theses, and conference papers. Books typically take 5-10 business days to receive books and articles take 2-5 business days. Login in to ILLiad and place your request, or place a request from the library catalog.
Explore the University Libraries website and find out more about what the libraries have to offer.
