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How Do I Login at the Library?!

Ah, the sweet smells of dying leaves and pumpkin spice are filling the air and we’re entering the season of increased library use!

Pooh celebrates autumn

As you begin needing to access databases from home or place holds of books, it can be tricky to know what login to use where. This blog post will walk you through the various services you can access with which logins.

To Access Your Library Account

If you need to place a book on hold or renew a book, you’ll want to access your library account. You can do this by going to the library home page and clicking “My Library Account” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will use your student ID # as the card number. Your PIN is a 4-digit number. If you’ve never changed your PIN, it sets to the last 4 digits of your student ID # by default. Once you log in, you can change your PIN to whatever 4 digit code you prefer.

To Access Databases and Ebooks Off-Campus

We’re all spending more time off-campus, so you may find yourself needing library resources from home. Once again, you’ll start at the library home page. You’ll then click “Off-Campus Access” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (right next to My Library Account.) Your login here is the same as your Blackboard credentials.

Once you’re logged in, you’ll be able to get into all the databases on the library website and open ebooks just like you can when you’re on campus WiFi.

To order materials through Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery

If you need an article, Interlibrary Loan is a service that borrows materials from libraries around the world. It allows you to order items not found in the library catalog or in any of the library’s online subscriptions.

Document Delivery is a service that allows you to order items held in the library’s print collection including book chapters and journal and newspaper articles. When you place an order for an article, we will find it in the print collection, scan it, and deliver it to you electronically. It is not used for materials available through an online database.

To use either of these services, you’ll start (you guessed it) from the library home page. From there, click “Interlibrary Loan” under “Services.” You then use your Blackboard credentials to log in. If you’ve never used these services before, you’ll need to register. Once you do that, you’ll only need to log in with those same credentials in the future.

If you have any questions about how to access any of these resources, let us know on the Ask Us page!

Zoom with your Reference Librarian

Working on a particularly gnarly research problem? Tired of typing out your assignment description every time you chat with the library? Try a Zoom session with the reference librarians!

We get it — sometimes you just need to talk to a real person. So, start your session by emailing us or chatting with us. You’ll be able to connect with a real-life, individual person during the posted reference hours. For the fall semester, that ‘s 9-10 Monday-Thursday, 9-6 Friday, 10-6 Saturday, and 12-10 Sunday. You can then request a Zoom session and we’ll accommodate as we’re able.

We can screen share to walk you through using the library resources and talk through your research questions. Sometimes when you’re overwhelmed, you simply need a friendly face.

Give it a try!

What does Virtual Reference MEAN?

Welcome back, Seawolves!

You may have seen the signs, blog posts, and emails that the Consortium Library is still providing reference services virtually. Curious about what that means? Read on!

First of all, you can still reach the reference librarians for research help and project assistance by email and phone. Email us using this form, text us at 907-312-1024, or call us at 907-786-1848.

You can also use the Chat available on the website. If you’ve never found this before, there are a couple of places to go on the library website. You can go to the Ask Us page and click the green “Chat is Online” button. The button will be grey if the Virtual Reference Desk is closed.

You can also access the chat when you’ve already started your catalog search. Just look to the right-hand side of your screen for the blue “Chat” button.

Once you start a chat, one of our friendly reference librarians receives it and begins assisting you as soon as possible. Exhibit A: me, checking the chat for new messages.

The reference librarians can assist in live time and even start up a screen sharing session if you have a really gnarly research query. We generally have other projects to work on while we wait for research questions, but we are available primarily to assist YOU, however you decide to contact us!

The virtual reference hours for the fall semester are Monday-Thursday 9am-10pm, Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 12pm-10pm.https://tenor.com/ZPKw.gif

If you’re ever uncertain about whether or not to use the chat or send the library an email, know that our staff is eager to help you. We can’t wait to hear from you!

What the Library Can Do For Students

The Library is open to students with a valid UA or APU ID. If you don’t have a UAA ID, we can help you get one, for more information see the Library Services Update page. Also, check this guide for the most current building hours and online research assistance hours. Both are on the Library Services Update page.

We have laptops along with earbuds available for use within the building for attending classes, and we have laptops that can be checked out to take home. These are available at the Main Circulation Desk. The Library can provide Document Delivery services for some materials, and students can check-out books from the Library. Course Reserves are available at the Main Circulation Desk. These are textbooks or course materials placed in the Library by a professor for use by students in support of their coursework.

For research help from a Librarian, use the Library’s Ask Us service on the library website. The Consortium Library is providing online Information and Research Services. All the virtual ways to contact us still exist, but we do not have librarians at the first floor Research Help Desk. On the Library’s website is an Ask Us link which provides access to librarians via chat, email, phone, texting, and online appointments.

Please contact Archives and Special Collections directly if you have need of their collections or research services.

The Library has a page within University of Alaska’s Blackboard  to make library access easier. There is also a Library link within your course in Blackboard and there are resources on this Guides page on our website. These pages are designed to provide more direct access to relevant Library resources. For many more resources use QuickSearch on our main page or the databases, including our ebook collections. The Library is available on the the APU website as well.

If you need any assistance finding information or research, please don’t hesitate to contact the Virtual Research Help Desk. Or you may contact the subject librarian for your program for research help. They can meet with you via online means such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. Use this link to make an appointment .

Let us know how we can help!

 

Online Homework Help is Available

If you’re concerned about excelling in your classes this fall while classes are delivered online, don’t worry- there’s help.

Live Homework Help is available to University of Alaska students and all Alaskans.

Tutors can help with math, writing, computer literacy, English, ESL, and Spanish. You can access practice quizzes, drop off math homework to get step by step directions, and even save assignments, notes and projects online.