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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

You can make an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request as a UIS student, faculty, or staff member when a book is unavailable from Brookens Library and I-Share or when an article is unavailable in one of Brookens Library's databases.

Please watch the videos below for step by step instructions on requesting Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials.

We occasionally offer workshops related to proposal writing. Any information on upcoming workshops can be found on the CINRC calendar. Additionally, we do many self-help publications on this topic. These can be checked out to patrons with an I-Card or a Special Borrowers card.

The Foundation Center, with which we are affiliated, offers online training in the form of webinars and classes. You can check their live calendar for current offers & fees In addition, they offer archived webinars and other forms of self-paced training.

Alternatively, Lincoln Land Community College offers many short online courses with a focus on the nonprofit sector, including grant writing courses.

No, reference books are non-circulating, meaning they cannot be loaned out.

Usually, only the person who requested the materials can check them out. The main exception to this is proxy patrons. A proxy patron would have to fill out a request form and get prior approval. See our guide for more information.

Note: Only faculty and staff can designate proxy patrons.

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

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.

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:<.p>

• 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)

More information on how to provide a replacement

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

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.

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.

Sangamon State/UIS alumni and Lincoln Library patrons are able to apply for a library card in order to check out UIS Library materials.

Please fill out a request for library card form and your request will be reviewed.

Faculty, emeritus faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends are all able to check out lockers from the library. They are available for the duration of the semester.

Simply visit the library main desk (located on the 2nd floor of Brookens), and ask to check out a locker. After scanning your i-card or library card and filling out a brief form, you will be given a key and assigned a locker number. If you are unsure where the lockers are located, just ask our staff to show you!

The locker is then yours for the semester. Make sure to return the key at the end of this loan. Lost keys will result in a $25 replacement fee.

How you can reach us:

• The chat box (available on this page on the right hand side) for the quickest response
• Brookens Library's main email at questions@uis.libanswers.com
• Contact a Librarian via email
• Contact the main desk at 217-206-6605 during our normal operating hours.

Degree-seeking students, active faculty and staff, and many retirees are eligible for i‑cards. You may get your i‑card whenever you need it but there's no requirement to have or carry one. If you use your i‑card, make sure that it indicates your current role (student, faculty/staff, and so on).

Two ways to get an I‑card

• Full service at your ID Center. Bring a valid proof of identity and you'll get your photo taken and your i‑card printed while you wait. This process takes only a few minutes.
• Online photo submission. Submit your photo online in advance. After your photo is approved, stop by your ID Center with a valid proof of identity to get your i‑card printed.

Not student, faculty, or staff? No worries, special borrower cards are also available. Scroll down until you get to Borrowing Privileges, and select either Alumni, Community, or Friends of Brookens.

Don't forget that all members of the community are welcome to access materials at Brookens Library and use the public computers. The only limitation is you can't check-out books without a special borrower card.

There are multiple ways to get research help from our librarians.

You can:

• View the research guide of the discipline you want to learn more about! Research guides include a curated list of databases, journals, resources, books, and more in a topic of interest. They are a great place to start your research.

• Book a research consultation with a librarian for one-on-one research help. Schedule an appointment through our Make an Appointment page. You can choose whether to receive assistance in person or online via Zoom.

• Talk to us via the library chat! The UIS Library chat is a staff-run service where you can get answers to various types of questions, ranging from research help to browsing the library catalogue and much more.

• Email us your questions at questions@uis.libanswers.com.

Every time you check out a book, you should receive an email from the library stating item titles and due dates. When these items are overdue or renewed, you will receive another email. Please make sure your library account is associated with an email address you often use. Instructions on how to see and edit your library account contact info.

How do I check my Library Account?

1. You can check your library account via our website.
2. To see items you currently have checked out, click on the loans tab.
3. To see any requests/holds you have made, click the requests tab.
4. To see any fines/fees posted to your library account, click fines + fees.
5. Additionally, if you have checked out items from other I-share libraries you may see more than one library listed under "my institutions" [squared in green in the image below]. By clicking on each library name, you will see the items loaned/requested from that particular institution.

How do I view/edit my contact info?
After logging into your library account, select the personal details tab to view the address and email linked to your account.

To edit this information, simply click the edit details button and click save changes after typing in the new information.