Library is Key to Academic Success

Depending on what type of college/university you're transferring from, you may be unfamiliar with the breadth of resources that a large, research library system can provide. The U-M Library is a key component to your academic transition and success at Michigan, and it has services and resources to help you with every stage of your academic career.

However, learning to use a research library can be intimidating. The first place to start is the U-M Library’s complete online tutorial, which can walk you through some of the core concepts and information needed in order to find, evaluate and integrate information sources into your academic work. The online tutorial can orient you to the U-M Library’s website, highlighting databases for scholarly articles. The tutorial also provides advice on narrowing a topic for research and how to choose the best source to support your work. This tutorial can be a perfect first step in feeling acclimated to the research environment at Michigan. We recommend spending some time with this tutorial this summer, so you'll be a step ahead in the fall.

Next, be sure to attend the Library's Welcome to Michigan event, "Party For Your Mind" on Sunday, September 2 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. This event gives you the opportunity to have fun, meet new people, and explore the library's resources all at the same time!

You may even want to consider signing up for a course in library research strategies. ALA 105: Digital Research: Critical Concepts & Strategies is especially helpful for students who may be new to utilizing the University of Michigan Library. This one credit mini-course meets for 2 hours a week for 7 weeks. Click here to learn more about this course.

Then when it's time to begin those research papers, be sure to utilize the Library's subject specialists for more specific research questions, or if you need an immediate answer, there is a virtual reference service called Ask a Librarian. For all your library and research related questions, the U-M Library is here to help.

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