Make a reserve request by filling out the online forms found on the library's website under Faculty FAQ: Course Reserves. To facilitate availability all reserves are delivered electronically, primarily through Canvas, the course management software used at UIS. Library staff will process the files and post them to Canvas for you.

For more information contact Pamela Scott or Sarah Sagmoen

The Cite Your Sources Guide is a great place to get started. It has information on plagiarism and the citation styles you are most likely to encounter.

If you need more in-depth information, the Purdue OWL is a great place to go as is the Learning Hub right here at UIS.

If you need additional help, you can always contact a librarian.

Printing is available at the library, in UHB 2000, and the Student Union.

Manual printing:

1. To print a document at the library you can log on to the computers using your netID and password or by obtaining a guest username and password at the Main Desk.
2. When the document is opened, click file, then print. Select the CampusPrint printer for black and white or the CampusPrintColor printer for color. A dialog box should pop up prompting you to enter a name for the print job. Now the document is ready to print.
3. Next you will need to go to the printer and swipe your i-card at the printer. Choose the print job you named and click print.
• OR if you don't have an i-card, come up to the main desk and we can accept cash.
4. Printing costs $0.10 for each black and white page and $0.25 for each color page.

For further assistance, please contact the Main Desk at the library at 217-206-6605 or ITS Help Desk at 217-206-6000.

Choose a topic that interests you and fulfills the requirements of your assignment. As you start crafting your research question, consider the following steps.

Step 1: Identify a broad topic of interest.

• For example, immigration, pollution, health disparities, or any other issue that you think could be relevant to the assignment

Step 2: Consider other variables or subtopics to narrow and focus your research.

• Use the 4Ws of What? Where? Who? and When? to think about possible variables or subtopics.

• Example: Here are a few possible variables for a broad topic related to water pollution.

  • What? plastics, microplastics, microfiber contamination, plastic bottle waste

  • Where? oceans, lakes, rivers, or a specific area of the world

  • Who? whales, aquatic life, shrimp, humans, children

  • When? Last 10 years, historically, 20th century

Step 3: Start to string some of your variables or sub-topics into a research question.

• You may not include every W in your question, and your question may have more than one W (what, where, who, when).

• Examples:

  • In the past 10 years (WHEN), what impact have microplastics (WHAT) had on aquatic life (WHO) in the Pacific Ocean (WHERE)?

  • To what extent is plastic bottle waste (WHAT) entering the aquatic ecosystem (WHAT) and impacting the health (WHAT) of children (WHO) in China (WHERE)?

Step 4: Make adjustments with your research criteria in mind.

• As you start searching, you may find that you need to revise your research question by adjusting the variables to broaden or narrow your research question's scope.

For more detailed information about how to pick a topic, check out the Start Your Research tutorial. 

If you need additional help, you can always email us or make an appointment with a librarian.

You can return your books by dropping them off in the book drop bins right outside of the library on the quad side or just inside the classroom side of the building.

You can also hand your book directly to a library employee at the Main Desk during operating hours (https://library.uis.edu/about/hours.html). This includes books owned by UIS, any other IShare libraries, and books obtained through Interlibrary Loan.

If you have been reading a book in the library and are unsure where you got it from, you can always leave these items on book returns.

Items that are returned will have all fees waived.

However, if you have been charged a replacement fee it will be posted to your student/university account. You cannot pay these fees in the library or with an I-card. These fees can be paid through your online account as you would normally pay for your tuition and fees. For more information about this, please contact the university bursar/Cashier's office.

For further assistance, please reference their guide to paying your University bill.

1. If you already use Libby skip to step 3. If you do not yet have the Libby app, download it to your device.
• Apple App Store (for iOS devices)
• Google Play (for Android devices).
• Direct download from OverDrive, the developers of Libby (for Amazon Fire tablets)
• libbyapp.com (for Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks)
2. Once downloaded, open the app. Click Yes to indicate that you have a library card.
3. Tap Search for Library. If you already had the Libby app, tap the center icon in the bottom menu then tap Add Library.
4. Search for University of Illinois at Springfield and Tap the University of Illinois at Springfield listing.
5. Tap Sign in with My Card.
6. If you are a current UIS student, staff, or faculty select the UIS NetID option. Then click next on the following page. If you have an active Alumni or Friends of Brookens Library library card request a Libby account using this form.
7. You will then be prompted to log in to your UIS account using your NetID and password. Follow the prompts to log in to your UIS account. If you are asked to use 2FA you may need to navigate back to the Libby app when completed.
8. You are now signed in to the Libby app. You can rename your card if you like by tapping Rename Card. You can now search for books or browse our collection using the bottom menu.

If you're at the very beginning of the process, the Start Your Research guide is a great place to start.

Starting a research paper or project can be overwhelming. We suggest you begin by thoroughly reading your assignment, thinking about a topic you're interested in, and then exploring and modifying the topic as you gain more knowledge.

This process isn't necessarily linear and you will need to give yourself ample time to be flexible.

If you need additional help, you can always contact your librarian.

Your Library Account is where you can view items you currently have checked out, renew items, and check the status of requests. Follow the steps below to access your account.

1. On the Brookens Library website, click My Accounts on the task bar on the top of the screen.
2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click on My Library Account.
3. On the new page that appears, you will login with your NetID and password. Alumni and other Special Borrowers will use their barcode and password.

Please contact the library if you need any assistance.

Your i-Card (aka your student or faculty/staff ID) serves as your library card. In order to checkout materials, you must have your i-Card with you.

If you are not a student, faculty, or staff member, special borrower cards are also available. You can apply for a reciprocal card here, or contact the Main Desk of the library at (217)-206-6605.

If you need help getting your i-card when you first arrive, please reference our i-card FAQ.

You can request a proxy patron via the proxy patron request form.

Proxy status will valid up to 1 academic year, ending the start of the following Fall semester. If you wish to terminate proxy status earlier, you must notify library staff.

I-Share materials

While proxies can check out I-share materials on behalf of the faculty member, they can not request I-share materials on their behalf. I-share materials must be requested by the faculty member using their account, in order for the proxy to check it out on their behalf. If the proxy requests the book using their own account, the library will not be able to check it out to the faculty member's account.

On the Financial Aid website.

Find out more about applying for aid

Find out more about applying for aid.

Contact Financial Aid for assistance

Find out more about applying for aid.

You can check your status on the UIS website.

You can send documentation, view requirements, and check your status through self-service

You can send documentation, view requirements, and check your status through self-service

Check your status

Find out more about applying for aid

Check your status

Find out more about applying for aid

Find out more about applying for aid

Find out more about applying for aid