GOING TO THE LIBRARY! Wilson Library, U of M Twin Cities

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING Finding new sources Learning new ways to research Getting new ideas for your project Talk to librarians and library guides for help Find books about your topic

WHAT TO EXPECT To find yourself in a huge library with tons of amazing resources Lots of people who are willing to help you Using your time to find books that you don’t normally have access to Being independent and able to use a university library’s resources for your History Day project

HOW TO PREPARE Go online to the library’s catalog and start looking for resources you may be able to access Write down call numbers and where they’re located so you can find them right away Know your topic and what you’re looking for

GOALS OF BEING THERE Find resources that you normally don’t have access to Take notes on important information you find Become familiar with a university library Learn to be comfortable looking for sources in an unfamiliar setting

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING Paper/notebook Pencil Camera (make sure to ask the librarians on the photo policy!) Flash drive Money for copies and printing

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS This is a library, be respectful of other people who are also using their resources Keep your voice down Avoid eating and drinking around materials Clean up after yourself Be polite Make good use of your time. Being here is a privilege, not a right

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME Do what you can ahead of time so you don’t waste time looking items up in the catalog Avoid sitting with people who cause you distractions Take notes as you read so you don’t forget important things you read

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME You will be given a very brief tour to orient yourself with the library Try to make one big visit to the stacks for many materials right away, rather than short, quick visits Take notes and research as much as possible! Don’t waste your time socializing with friends

TAKING AWAY IMPORTANT RESOURCES Making sure you bring the right materials means that you can continue to use resources you find later on Taking notes and making copies can help you revisit information later, and maybe find more useful things!

GET OFF THE INTERNET! You are at a LIBRARY, go find books! Many of the books and materials available here aren’t available at your local library—find something important for your research! Expand your horizons and become familiar with finding information “the old-fashioned way.”

CAN YOU CHECK OUT BOOKS? Sorry, most university libraries won’t let you take their books home. You can look at your public library and see if they are available via Interlibrary Loan Or, bring a small amount of money so that you can make copies or scans of important information you come across

WHO TO ASK FOR HELP Reference librarians are there to help! Library guides may be able to assist you with the catalog or finding a specific book you are looking for. Your teacher will know specific details about your project, so you should ask them if it’s not library related.

MAP OF THE LIBRARY

IMPORTANCE OF YOUR FEEDBACK In order to make trips like this possible, we need your help in completing a brief survey so we can track data Please be honest and take this seriously It’s very important that everyone does this, even if you are working in a group, each member still needs to complete a survey

HAVE FUN! Exploring a college library is fun and exciting! Enjoy your time finding new sources!