Welcome to the UAA Consortium Library! Our Information and Research Help Desk is your go-to for navigating academic resources and services. Whether you’re a student, faculty member, or community member, we’re here to assist you with information and research support to enhance your academic journey. 

Information and Research Help Desk: Your First Stop for Assistance

Our Information and Research Help Desk is here to support a variety of needs. Here’s how we can help:

• Finding Scholarly Articles: Whether you’re searching for specific research papers, journal articles, or academic resources, our staff are skilled at helping you locate the right sources through our various databases and library catalog.
• Getting Help with Citations: Proper citation is crucial in academic writing. We offer assistance with various citation styles, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, ensuring you credit your sources correctly and avoid plagiarism.
• Printing Assistance: Need to print research papers, essays, or other documents? Our staff can guide you through the printing process whether your printing at one of our machines or from your personal devices!

No matter what your academic task involves, our staff are ready to provide the support you need to complete your work or help connect you to the resources that can!

We are available in-person or online via chat, email, text, or phone at Ask Us.

Tools and Spaces to Enhance Your Studies

Our library also provides access to essential resources and spaces, including:

• Course Reserves: Access textbooks and other materials reserved for your courses.
• Laptops: Borrow a laptop for use within the library or on campus. We also have testing laptops available for those at-home proctored exams.
• Study Spaces: Find a quiet spot for focused study or group work in our designated study areas.

DIY Research Help: Empowering Your Independent Learning

For those who prefer to tackle research on their own, our Get Help with Research guide offers a wealth of resources and guides tailored to support your independent learning. Here’s a closer look at just some of what you’ll find:

• Sorting Out Your Sources: Learn how to effectively evaluate and categorize different types of sources for your research. This includes distinguishing between primary and secondary sources, understanding the difference between scholarly and popular resources, and assessing the credibility and reliability of the information.
• Understanding Literature Reviews: Discover what a literature review entails and how to conduct one. Our guides provides a plethora of information to help you get started or fine tune your Literature Reviews.
• Citation Tools and How-To Guides: Master the art of citations with our comprehensive guides on various citation styles such as APA, MLA, and Chicago. We also provide information on citation management tools that can help you organize your sources and generate accurate citations.

Explore our services today and make the most of the resources available to you. Visit us in person or online to discover how we can assist you in your academic endeavors!

The Olympic Games are a global spectacle that draws attention for their impressive athleticism, historical significance, and cultural impact. Whether you’re a die-hard fan eager to keep up with the latest events or a history buff fascinated by past Games, the Consortium Library offers plenty of resources to learn more!

Newspapers and Articles

Stay updated with the latest Olympic news through our extensive collection of newspapers and magazines. The Consortium Library subscribes to a variety of both print and digital publications. Use databases like Newsbank to access articles from major newspapers and sports magazines worldwide. If you’re interested in local Olympians such as Sagen Maddalena, Alev Kelter, and Kristen Faulkner, you can find coverage in the Anchorage Daily News and other Alaskan publications.

For a historical perspective, explore EBSCO databases like the American Antiquarian Society’s Historical Periodicals (1691-1877) or Hobbies, Socialization, and Sport Periodicals. These archives offer fascinating insights into how the Games have been reported over the years. Need assistance with these databases? Visit us at the Reference Desk for help!

Olympic Websites and Digital Archives

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) website is a goldmine for Olympic enthusiasts. It features information on current and past Games, including details about competitors and historical changes in the rules. Check out the IOC website to explore a wealth of information about the Olympics!

Academic Journals and Research Papers

For a more scholarly approach, use databases like JSTOR to find academic articles on various Olympic topics. From the economic impact of the Games to how the Olympics have been influenced by global events like World Wars or Global Pandemics. 

Books on the Olympics

The Consortium Library boasts an impressive collection of books on the Olympics. Whether you’re looking for biographies of famous athletes, detailed historical accounts of the Games, or analyses of their cultural significance, you’ll find plenty of options. Search our catalog to find the perfect book to match your interests!

Archives on Alaska’s Bid to Host

Our Archives hold a unique collection of materials related to Anchorage’s bids to host the Winter Olympics in 1992, 1994, and 1998. You can explore these fascinating documents to learn more about the city’s efforts and aspirations to bring the Winter Games to Alaska. For an overview of what’s available, check out our LibGuide.

The Consortium Library is an incredible resource for exploring the Olympics. Whether you’re researching for a paper or just indulging in your Olympic passion, our library has something for everyone. Dive in and explore all the resources we have to offer!

If you need help or have a question about research, citations, off-campus access, printing and scanning services, etc., we are here to help. The reference desk is open and librarians are ready to field your questions. You can connect with us in person, or via email, text (907) 312-1024, chat or phone (907) 786-1848.

The first Saturday in June is National Black Bear Day, and while that might seem like an odd thing for a library to celebrate, the Consortium Library’s partner institution, Alaska Resources Library & Information Services, or ARLIS, might be one of the only libraries that includes a black bear in its catalog

Photo from Nalewicki, Jennifer. “This Library in Anchorage Lends out Taxidermic Specimens.” Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/library-anchorage-lends-out-taxidermy-specimens-180971948/. Accessed 2 June 2024.. 

Together, the Consortium Library and ARLIS offer numerous resources for those studying animal biology and wildlife management, including the databases Web of Science, which provides extensive scientific scholarly literature, and Zoological Record, which is the world’s leading taxonomic reference and the oldest continuing database of animal biology.

Check out the Biological Sciences Guide for further resources if you’re interested in biology!

While spring might bring the urge to get planting, it’s crucial to heed the advice of experienced gardeners like Jeff Lowenfels (Anchorage Daily News columnist) before you get planting. Whether you are a beginner or expert gardener, the Consortium Library can help you create the garden of your dreams. We have fantastic resources: newspapers, gardening magazines, books and online resources. If you can’t find what you need, ask at the Reference Desk and we will be happy to assist you.

Check out the resources below to begin your gardening journey.

Jeff Lowenfels in the Anchorage Daily News
Lowenfels’ most recent column says it is still too early to plant, “Soil temperature just as important as air temperature as you start planting.” The Consortium Library has online access to the ADN. To find it on the Consortium Library’s homepage, go to Databases, click on A from the alphabetical list, scroll down the page, and select Anchorage Daily News. If you want to read it like a newspaper, choose: image. If you want the articles without the formatting, choose: text. To find Jeff Lowenfels’ columns, enter his name in the search bar and hit search. He also has a podcast.

Magazines
Better Homes and Gardens
From the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Horticulture Magazine
From the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Sunset Magazine
Read their most recent gardening column, “Your Spring Garden Checklist” by Kristin Guy. To find it, go to the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Online Resources
University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
The CES has resources on Alaska-specific programs, research, and articles on “agriculture and horticulture; health, home and family development; natural resources and community development; 4-H and youth development.” Check out their website on Gardening in Alaska or learn about Berries and Wild Edible Plants.

Books
Check out the display of gardening books as you enter the Library. You can find many more by searching the Library’s catalog, too. Here’s just a sample:

The Alaska gardener’s handbook
Lenore Hedla.
“Flowers, vegetables and other food crops, lawns and groundcovers, sunrooms and greenhouses, trees and shrubs.”

Alaska gardening guide
Ann D. Roberts.
“Alaska Gardening Guide is arranged in three parts; a section on planting basics for the beginning gardener, a more in-depth section dealing with specific problems encountered in the various areas in Alaska (like cold soil, premature bolting to seed, or heavy precipitation), and a final section packed full of techniques and tips for raising particular vegetables.”

Alaska’s wild plants : a guide to Alaska’s edible harvest
Janice J. Schofield.
“Profiles more than seventy wild, edible plants native to Alaska with color photographs and descriptions, and includes information on plant habitats, harvesting wild plants, and related topics.”

There’s a moose in my garden : designing gardens in Alaska and the Far North
Brenda C. Adams.
“What do you do when a young moose calf wants to dine on your freshly planted Siberian iris? How do you harness the wild beauty of the north for your own backyard? There’s a Moose in My Garden tackles these questions and more with practical advice from an award-winning gardener. Adams provides helpful tips for far northern gardeners on how to design and build beautiful and healthy gardens. The book outlines the entire planning and planting process, covering such aspects as low-angled sun, soft light, expansive vistas, and a cool climate.” 

Indigenous food sovereignty in the United States : restoring cultural knowledge, protecting environments, and regaining health
edited by Devon A. Mihesuah and Elizabeth Hoover; foreword by Winona LaDuke.
“An anthology of essays, written from the perspective of practitioners from around the nation, that both identifies the challenges facing Indigenous communities in revitalizing and maintaining traditional food systems, as well as highlights the inspiring and successful food and health initiatives in Indian country.”