Alumni Borrowing Privileges

Off-campus access to online databases is available only to enrolled students, faculty and staff according to our licensing agreements, but anyone can access those databases by using the library computers on campus. To use our databases, they can ask for a login/password at the library desk on the main floor if using our computers, or if bringing their own laptop can access the databases using the wi-fi. Alums do not need to fill out a form unless they want borrowing privileges.

Learn about borrowing materials from the library.

Brookens Library is not able to offer test proctoring services.

UIS students should contact Testing Services for test proctoring.

Additionally, Chatham Area Public library offers test proctoring for a charge.

There is no fax machine on campus available for student use.

Brookens library does not charge overdue fines.

However, the library may charge a replacement fee for lost or damaged items.

More information on how to provide a replacement

The library is always paying attention to recent publications - it's always good to check the Popular and New Book Shelves if you're looking for a book on a Best Seller list, or you can also always request a book from I-Share online at the library website.

The library also takes suggestions for what books to add to the collection.

Whilst we don't buy books from patrons, we gladly accept the following types of material donations:

• Books
• DVDs
• CDs
• Audio books
• Magazines

When donating to the Library it is important to remember that the library reserves the right to add the items to the collection, sell them in a library book sale, or dispose of them as necessary. Currently, we send unsold books to Better World Books, an organization that funds literacy in underdeveloped countries. (https://www.uis.edu/library/giving-brookens/ways-give)

Yes, the CINRC offers consultation assistance. We recommend an initial telephone or email consultation so we can determine your needs. At that point we can determine if an in person or Zoom consultation would be advised. Email us at cinrc@uis.edu or phone us at (217) 206-6783.

No, you don't need to be at the library to access our online databases. If you're trying to access our databases off campus you'll be prompted to sign in with your NetID and password.

We accept good quality replacements for library materials. These replacements must be identical or newer versions of the lost/damaged item.

If you need more details about the lost/damaged item, you can see your checked-out materials through your library account or you can always contact us.

There are several websites to purchase new/used books. If you purchase a used book, please look for like-new or good condition: Amazon, ABEbooks, ThriftBooks, Alibris, BookFinder, Chegg, and Barnes and Noble

You can search by title or ISBN. If searching by title, please make sure that the versions match or you are purchasing a newer version.

For media or Library of Things items, please submit a lost/damaged claim and we will help you find an acceptable replacement.

Usually, we would like to replace the lost/damaged book with an identical item.

However, it sometimes happens that these materials are difficult to source, no longer available, or no longer relevant. In this case, we may accept different editions or different books on the same subject. This is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Before ordering these items, please consult our staff via phone or email.

If you order a replacement online, you can have it shipped to our mailing address:

1 University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield, IL 62703

Or if you prefer to just pay a replacement fee, let us know and we will send the charge to the Cashier's office. For information about how to view (https://answers.uillinois.edu/page.php?id=90452) or pay your fees, please contact the Cashier's office.

1. Go to the Library Website.
2. Search for the title, be as specific as you can. Use quotation marks if you know the exact title.
3. This will open up Ex Libris Discovery. Before you do anything else, log in using your net ID and password.
4. Select "All I-Share Libraries" and hit search.
5. Filter appropriately on the left hand side of the screen. Do you need a book? DVD? etc. In this example, filter for a book.
6. Once you've found the item, select "See All Versions."
7. This page will show you all the versions available. Choose the one you would like to request, then select "Check Available Services."
8. Scroll down to I-Share Availability. Under "Get it from other I-Share Libraries," review the list of libraries that have the item available. If you're not happy with the wait, find another library.
9. If you decide to request the book, select "Request from I-Share."
10. Fill out the form and submit the request. Make sure the preferred pickup institution is UIS (or another of your choosing). The patron will receive an email when the item is ready.

A patron can check the status of their I-Share request by logging into the library search engine and viewing their requests. Updates are provided, though a specific arrival date is rarely shown. It rarely gives a specific date when their book will arrive.

We understand that sometimes extraordinary circumstances can affect the return of library materials. As such, we accept requests for fees/fines to be waived. These requests are processed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to the approval of Brookens librarians and staff.

Please note, we do not have overdue fines. Simply return the overdue item and all charges will be waived.

If an item has been lost or damaged and you'd like to submit a fee exemption request, please fill out the form below.

If you'd prefer to speak to someone directly, please contact cring4@uis.edu, or visit the library during operating hours.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Advertisements for student employment for the library, or anywhere on campus, will be posted on Career Connect. Students seeking on-campus employment must apply via Career Connect.

In order to apply, students must have an approved resume uploaded to Career Connect. (If you have trouble logging in to the Career Connect website call them at (217) 206-6508

If you are unsure if you are eligible for student employment you can find information on student employment eligibility on the Student Employment Procedures website.

We've created a research guide to help you along the research process. It includes information to help with selecting keywords, using search operators, building your search in a database, evaluating your sources, and exploring the range of resources Brookens Library has to offer.

Remember, the research process isn't linear. You may, at some point, learn more about your topic or discover a new, or more interesting, research question. Don't be afraid to make modifications to your research question.

If you need additional help, you can always contact a librarian, or use the Library Website's LibChat for research help.

An empirical article is a research article that reports the results of a study that uses data derived from actual observation or experimentation.

The steps to finding an empirical article differ slightly from discipline to discipline, but all empirical articles share common characteristics.  Empirical articles will, typically, include methods and results sections in the body of the article. Additionally, they will be longer articles and may include charts, graphs, or statistical analysis. An empirical article will always include an extensive bibliography or works cited. 

We suggest that you start with the resources best suited to your subject. Our extensive collection of subject specific research guides can help with that.

You have a few different options to find articles with citations and we've broken them down based on different databases you can use to search: 

Google Scholar: 

1. Navigate to Google Scholar via the library website. You must access Google Scholar through the library website in order to access all the library's articles. Access the link for Google Scholar from our list of databases.
2. Paste your citation in the Google Scholar search bar.
3. If the article is available, click either Full View or View It @ UIS.
4. If the article is not available, you can request access through Interlibrary Loan.

UIS Library Search: 

1. Navigate to the advanced search tab on the right side of the library homepage.
2. Make sure to check the articles circle.

3. Paste your citation in the provided “any field” box.
4. If the library has the article, you can click full text availability.
5. If the article is not appearing, you can check the “Everything” tab, and from there, you can request access through Interlibrary Loan

If you have additional questions or need more advanced research help, you can always email or make an appointment with a librarian.

Every book has a location and its own unique call number. You can find the location and call number of the book online in our catalog. Once you have the location and call number, you can find the book.

In terms of location: CINRC, Popular, New Books, and Reference are located on the 2nd floor; hard copy Periodicals and Magazines are located on the 3rd floor; and the Curriculum Collection, General, and Oversize are located on the 4th floor.

If you need assistance in locating a book, please do not hesitate to ask at the Main Desk on the 2nd floor. We are more than happy to help!

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

The Friends of Brookens Library of the University of Illinois Springfield is a service organization established to support to the library. Membership rates start at $50. For more information, contact the administration office at Brookens Library, (217) 206-6597.

You can access the DSM-V through our database list.

Once you navigate to the D section, click on the DSM Library including DSM-5.

On that page, you can then select the Table of Contents and find the section you would like to access.

Note: The only spaces that are currently available to be reserved are BRK 230A - Library Learning Center and BRK 232.

• 1. Go to the library website.
• 2. Click on "Services" then "Space Requests."
• 3. The Space Request page will show you which spaces are available to reserve.
• 4. If you want to request BRK 232, submit your request through the UIS Connection System.
• 5. If you want to request BRK 230A, click on the button that says "Reserve Here".
• 6.On the form, you can select the date and time when you'd like to reserve the room.
• 7. Click a bar on the chart so select a time slot. Your booking will immediately appear as orange, and there will be a red padding space automatically generated for cleaning.
• 8. You can adjust the time and/or the length of your booking at the bottom of the page.
• 9. Now click submit, and you're all good to go!