Google, Facebook, YouTube …. UA Libraries??

By Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Today’s students use a variety of online resources to share and discover information – Google, Facebook, and YouTube are among the most common. With research papers and finals on the horizon it seems a perfect time to remind them of another easily accessible resource designed to meet their information needs – the UA Libraries.

In Fall 2006 UA students began paying a library/information technology fee. The Libraries are committed to using student fee money wisely and in support of services that directly benefit students. Over the past year the Libraries initiated a variety of new services, supported by the student fee, that make Library resources available online, from any location and at any time:

• Express Documents: The ultimate in convenience - free electronic delivery of articles and book chapters emailed to the desktop within 24 hours of the request.
• Electronic Books: Over 575,000 ebooks that can be viewed online, anywhere, anytime.
• Video Streaming:  Required class videos streamed into the classroom or viewed from your student’s computer.
• UA Résumé Builder:  Offered in collaboration with Career Services, produces high quality résumés with examples and templates tuned to specific fields to help graduating students gain employment and save students having to pay for these services.

With so many great virtual services students might never have to visit the Libraries at all!  But, of course, we do want them to visit to browse our collection of over 5 million books, to find a good place study, and to use the computers and software programs we offer. We also want them to consider the library staff an essential source of help with assignments and research. Among the new services that draw students into the Libraries are:

• Presentation Practice Rooms: Our presentation practice rooms are equipped with the tools and space to practice presentations, record them, and play them back for self-evaluation. These are great not just for in-class presentations but also for upcoming job interviews!
• Laptop Loans: UA students can borrow a Gateway PC or Mac iBook for up to 4 hours at all three library locations. This is an immensely popular program and, with support from the student library fee, we now have 47 laptops available for check-out. 
• Longer Library Hours: Now that the Library is open 24x5 during the week and has extended weekend hours, students can get reference and research help at the Information Commons desk 142 hours per week in person, by phone, by email or live chat.

Clearly the UA Libraries offer your student much more than just books! Now is a great time to encourage your student to take full advantage of the new services and programs – designed just for them and funded by their library fee – available at the UA Libraries.

To access these – and more – great UA Libraries services visit http://www.library.arizona.edu/.

Vicki Mills can be contacted via email at millsv@u.library.arizona.edu