Find Help

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Must-have Links

⇒ Ask a Librarian

⇒ Departmental Libraries

⇒ Email Reference

⇒ Librarian's Office Hours

⇒ Writers' Workshop

  

  

Step One: Ask a Librarian

During selected hours, reference staff at Central Reference and the Undergraduate Library can answer your questions online through the Ask a Librarian service. This real-time reference service is great if you are working online in your dorm or apartment and need immediate assistance.
 
  What if my question is too complicated for IM?

Step Two: Email

The Reference Library offers email reference service to faculty, students and staff of the University of Illinois. For more information about this service, please see the email Reference Information page. Some departmental libraries also offer email reference assistance. Please refer to the departmental websites for more information.

What if I want to talk to a real person?

Step Three: Phone

Many libraries are able to assist with questions by telephone. Please refer to the departmental websites page for library hours and telephone numbers. The Information Desk (217-333-2290) in particular is designed to provide answers to quick reference questions and assist in the use of library resources such as I-Share Online and article databases.

As a service to patrons with disabilities, TTY phones are available in the following locations:

  • Information Desk, Main Library 244-8635

  • Undergraduate Library 265-0967

  • Grainger Engineering Library 244-4580

TDD users who need to make extensive use of a library not listed above may contact the Information Desk TTY.

What if I want to drop-in?

Step Four: Librarians' Office Hours 

The Undergraduate Library hosts Librarian's Office Hours during the semester to help students with the research process: topic selection, learning to search the online catalog and article databases, locating library materials, compiling effective bibliographies, and much more. 

If you need help with the writing portion of the research paper the Writers' Workshop, located in the Undergraduate Library, can help.

What if I want to spend time with a librarian?

Step Five: Personal research consultation

Librarians are also available to assist with the planning and execution of your research. If you are pursuing research in which the help of a subject specialist may be useful, please visit the relevant departmental library for your subject area. All departmental library websites contain information about the nature of their collections as well as the names and email addresses of librarians who can help with your research.

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

 
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