University Library Resources

The history of the University Library parallels that of the U-M itself. As new programs have been initiated, the University Library has grown in size and in diversity of formats and disciplines represented. In its more than 185-year history, the library has become one of the premier research libraries in the world. The University Library is located in many buildings across campus, with the Shapiro Undergraduate Library and Hatcher Graduate Library providing general and humanities/social science collections and services. A number of science libraries have been consolidated in the Science Library within the Shapiro Library. The libraries now represent a collection of more than seven million volumes and grow at the rate of more than 100,000 volumes a year. Subject-specialist librarians are responsible for building the collection and also provide reference and instructional services. The University Library’s computerized library catalog system, known as MIRLYN, is accessible online, providing access to collections and indexes. The University Library’s Web services provide an easy link to library systems across the country.

In addition to traditional library holdings, electronic resources are also a critical component of the library’s collections. University libraries provide access to a growing set of electronic information resources, including electronic versions of scholarly journals and digital data sets (e.g., geographic and population studies data).

MIRLYN

MIRLYN, the University of Michigan’s computerized library system, functions both as an online catalog and a circulation system for all of the University libraries except the law and business libraries. MIRLYN provides access to the bibliographic records of the library’s books, periodicals, and other holdings, information as to whether or not an item is available, and computer-based periodical indexes. MIRLYN is available at any of the University libraries’ public terminals or online. Instructions for using MIRLYN are available on the system’s help screens or at any University library.

The Knowledge Navigation Center

The Knowledge Navigation Center on the second floor of the Hatcher Graduate Library offers a “center for learning about technology.” You may drop in for one-on-one help in the use of all kinds of computer hardware and software. It provides tutorials, classes, and problem-solving assistance for faculty and students with software and hardware needs.

The Duderstadt Center

You may also use the library within the Duderstadt Center on North Campus. This library specializes in engineering and computer science materials. The University Library also has in place a routing service, providing faculty and students access to material from across its entire library system, regardless of location.

The Taubman Health Sciences Library (THSL)

Resources specific to the THSL will be addressed during orientation as well as during the student brownbag seminar series.

Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT)

Founded in 1962 at the University of Michigan, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) was the first teaching center in the country. CRLT is part of the Provost’s Office and works with faculty, graduate student instructors (GSIs) and academic administrators in all nineteen schools and colleges to support and enhance learning and teaching at U-M. CRLT offers a comprehensive array of curricular and instructional development activities. CRLT’s professional staff, with Ph.D.s in a variety of academic disciplines, provide both cross-disciplinary campus-wide programs and discipline-specific programs customized to the individual needs of departments, schools and colleges. CRLT strives to promote a University culture that values and rewards teaching, respects and supports individual differences among learners, and encourages the creation of learning environments in which diverse students can learn and excel. For more, see www.crlt.umich.edu.

English Language Institute (ELI)

The English Language Institute was established in 1941 as the first English language research and teaching program of its kind in the United States. Since its founding, the ELI has become a leader in language teaching, learning, and assessment, in applied linguistics research, and in teacher education at the University of Michigan and throughout the world. See www.lsa.umich.edu/eli.

Center for Statistical Consultation and Research (CSCAR)

CSCAR is a service and research unit of the University of Michigan, administratively located in the Office of the Vice President for Research. CSCAR staff provide statistical services to faculty, primary researchers, graduate students and staff of the University. See www.umich.edu/~cscar.

The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)

The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), established in 1962, is an integral part of the infrastructure of social science research. ICPSR maintains and provides access to a vast archive of social science data for research and instruction, and offers training in quantitative methods to facilitate effective data use. To ensure that data resources are available to future generations of scholars, ICPSR preserves data, migrating them to new storage media as changes in technology warrant. In addition, ICPSR provides user support to assist researchers in identifying relevant data for analysis and in conducting their research projects. See http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/.

Gayle Morris Sweetland Writing Center

The Gayle Morris Sweetland Writing Center was established to ensure that all students who graduate from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts would know how to write well. Founded on the concept that writing is central to the mission of the College, the Center takes a comprehensive approach to its mission by tutoring students in their writing, supporting faculty in their course development, and conducting research on the pedagogy of writing in order to develop the most effective methods for teaching. While this is an LS&A unit, they do offer workshops and classes for graduate students (www.lsa.umich.edu/sweetland).

The University of Michigan offers a multitude of services for students. Many can be found on the U-M website. These are just a few of the services you may find particularly helpful.