Library Resources

 

Library Overview
Online Resources
Academic Outreach Library Services
Visiting Physical Libraries
Research Assistance/Technical Assistance

 

Library Overview

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign library system is the third largest academic library in North America (behind Harvard and Yale) and the largest public university library in the world. As a graduate student, you have full access to this extremely valuable resource. The Library Gateway is the portal to the library and provides links to all online resources (e.g. articles, catalogs, etc.).

Online Resources

Online resources (e.g. journal articles) can be accessed from the the Online Research Resources page.

  • Password:
    To access online resources, you will need your "Bluestem" (NetID) login and password. If you've forgotten the password, please fax a Password Change Form to CITES (campus IT services).
  • Journal Indexes:
    The best way to conduct broad searches for articles is by using journal indexes. Indexes search hundreds of journals at once. Sometimes full-text articles are provided in the index itself; other times, the index only provides an abstract and you will need to go to the journal page to get the article (see next bullet point).
To access an index, go to online research resources and enter a specific index name (choose "start of title"). HRE students will likely find EBSCO, Wilson Select Plus, and ABI/Inform Complete to be useful indexes.
For more information, please see the library tutorials regarding article databases.
  • Journals:
    If you know the name of a specific journal you need to search, go to online research resources and enter the journal name (choose "start of title"). For a list of selected journals that are relevant to HRE students, please see the professional resources page of the HRE website.
If a journal/article is not online, Academic Outreach Library Services (see below) can mail it to you.

Academic Outreach Library Services

  • Academic Outreach Library Services is available M-F 8:30-5. This is an excellent resource for online students. Their sole purpose is helping off-campus students (by phone or email) use/find library resources. For resources not available online, they will mail books/articles to your home address, free of charge.

 

Visiting Physical Libraries

  • If you live in or near Illinois, you can use the libraries of 65 colleges/universities in Illinois to view, check-out, or return books/materials. You must present your "I-Card" (UIUC ID card), available by completing the ID request form (to get a pictureless version) or visiting the UIUC ID Center (to get a card with a picture).

 

For Further Information, Research Assistance, or Technical Assistance

As part of its commitment to serving the needs of online students, the Education and Social Science Library has developed a A Guide to Library Research for Distance Learners in Education. Students have found this guide to be quite helpful.

Students have found university librarians extremely helpful and knowledgeable in guiding them to the appropriate library resources. There are several ways for you to seek this assistance:

  • Contact Academic Outreach Library Services (see above).
  • Use the "Ask a Librarian" service, available M-Th 9:00am-11:30pm, F 9:00am-9:30pm, Sa 10:00am-9:30pm, Su 10:00am-11:30pm (hours are limited during on-campus break periods). Full-time librarians and library science graduate assistants staff this service via phone or online chat.
  • Need more detailed assistance? Contact the Education and Social Science Library for an Individual Research Consultation. Request an appointment with this online form.