Student Services Guide

Welcome to the Student Services Guide, your one-stop summary of all Briggs Library has to offer in the way of student services and assistance. If you've got questions, we've got answers. Check out some of our more popular links below or keep reading for more detailed information.

Ask A Librarian
Circulation
Electronic Course Reserve
Holds and Recalls
Hours
Information Literacy
Jobs For Students
Journal Finder
Off Campus Access
Order Recommendations for the Collection
Plagiarism
Print Reserves
Printing and Photocopying--Cougar Cash Cards & More
Research Quickstart
Reserve For Students
Scanning
Study Rooms
Video & DVDs
Wireless
"Your Account" [Reviewing and Renewing Library Materials]

Check out these additional resources that are located in the library.

Academic Assistance Center    [as part of the Center For Advising & Learning in #328]
Advising    [as part of the Center For Advising & Learning in #328]
Disability Services    [as part of the Center For Advising & Learning in #328]
Writing Room    [Room #327]

Questions & Answers

The Circulation Desk is located on the main (2nd) floor of the library. From here you can check out, renew, return materials, utilize reserve items, pick up interlibrary loan resources, request recalls and place a hold on an item using your valid U-card. By going to "Your Account" you can also renew and recall items online. Fines can be paid in the Library Office in Room 232. Photocopiers, printers, and microform machines are available for use. For more detailed information about loan periods and fine schedules please go to Circulation or call (320) 589-6175.

All faculty, students, and staff affiliated with the University of Minnesota have full interlibrary loan privileges. Interlibrary loan is a service that is provided to obtain materials which are not available in Briggs Library at the University of Minnesota, Morris, campus. Materials necessary for study and research are borrowed from other libraries; photocopies of materials or journal articles that libraries will not lend can also be acquired. There is even an option to retrieve articles electronically. All faculty, students, and staff affiliated with the University of Minnesota have full interlibrary loan privileges.

To learn more about interlibrary loan procedures or to request an item go to Interlibrary Loan. If you are requesting an item then make the appropraite format choice. Fill the required fields out and click submit. It's as simple as that. You will be notified via your UMM PO Box regarding the status of your request. Items can be picked up at the Circulation Desk.

Briggs Library is regularly open a combined 94 hours per week. Students, staff, and faculty take advantage of our collection resources and quiet spaces for studying, research, instruction or just relaxation. During finals periods library hours are often extended while during academic holidays and summer breaks hours are somewhat shortened. For the current library schedule please go to Hours.

SUMMON, our online catalog, gives access to over 210,000 physical items owned by Briggs Library. This is our general collection. Briggs Library also provides access to over 140 Electronic Databases. Besides these resources the library also has several special collections. These include the UMM Archives and West Central Minnesota Historical Research Center , our third floor Curriculum Collections, the searchable Government Depository , Music Scores, and invaluable Rare Books. Aspiring poets are encouraged to discover the McGinnis Colletion featuring a rich assortment of British and American poetry since 1900. For a complete listing please visit Collections.

Every item in the library's physical collection has a call number. Think of it as a kind of address that allows someone to find it more easily. If you look an item up in SUMMON or look at the spine of a book you will notice some strange letters or numbers. Most items in Briggs Library use the Library of Congress Classification System which assigns subjects to different letters of the alphabet. The following summary may help you find things in the library:
       Call numbers that begin with A - N are shelved on the First Floor (basement); those whose call numbers begin with P - Q are located on the Third Floor. R - Z are located on the Fourth Floor. If the call number begins with or ends with REF or REF COLL, the item is shelved in the reference section on the Main Second Floor. Videocassettes, DVD's and CD's are also located on the Second Floor. Periodicals and atlases are located on the Second Floor as well. Music scores are shelved in the Music Scores Room (#328) which is located on the Third Floor. A key is required from the Checkout Desk. Educational curriculum materials are shelved in the Curriculum Collection, on the Third Floor. Government Documents are located on the Fourth Floor as are the Rare Books Collection..

A great way to find resources available for a topic you're researching is to visit Research QuickStart. There you can choose the subject you're interested in and generate a list of library print and electronic resources as well as websites that will get you rolling.

Briggs Library provides Reference Servicereference to help students, staff, and faculty with research questions, library technology issues or simply finding a book. A librarian at the reference desk, located by the main entrance, will be glad to assist you. If it is not conveneient for you to come to the library then simply email your question using our Ask A Librarian service.

Whether its the sciences, humanities or social sciences Briggs Library has a database that will help support the classroom content and facillitate research. Most are subscribed resources and vary from the multi-subject offering of Academic Search Premier to the more specialized such as the science-orientated BIOSIS Previews. In all, over 150 databases and online resources can be found at Article and Reference Databases from the Library Home Page. If you have any questions about these resources or have difficulty accessing a database please contact library Reference Coordinator Peter Bremer.

Briggs Library databases, as well as our online catalog, are accesible whether you're on-campus or off. If you are off-campus simply go to the Library Home Page and access the list of databases as you normally would. When you make a database selection you will be prompted to type in your X-500 username and password. Your username is the same as the first half of your email address and your password is unique. If you have any questions about Off-Campus Access please contact the library Digital Services Coordinator Michele Lubbers.

Rodney A. Briggs Library is pleased to offer virtually complete wireless service throughout the building. The UMM wireless network accepts connections from almost all laptop computers with wireless cards. Please visit our main Wireless page for more information.

Printing can be done from any main floor library computer or in the library Computer Lab 350A located on the third floor. Photocopying can be done on the main floor of the library. Use your Cougar Cash Card to pay for photocopies or laser printing in Briggs Library. Cougar Cash Cards are non-refundable magnetic strip cards that you add value to. There are several Cougar Cash Card machines on campus including one in the library located behind the Circulation Desk. You can also choose to pay for your library print jobs with cash. There are laser Cougar Cash Card printers located on the main floor as well as in the library Computer Lab 350A. Cash print jobs go the 8000 printer and can be paid for at the circulation desk. For assistance please ask at the Circulation or Reference Desk.

The library's public scanner is located near the photocopiers on the main floor. If you need assistance ask at the circulation desk.

The library does not have a fax machine available for student use. If you would like to fax something, please go to the Information Center located on the main floor of the Student Center.

The library depends on the time and talents of UMM library work study students for many of its tasks. To find out if there are student library employment opportunities available go to Jobs For Students. Click on the "Application Form" to apply or if you prefer one can be mailed to you.