The librarians and reference assistants in the Department of Research & Learning Services support the teaching and research mission of the university by providing reference services. We help library patrons find information, select sources for research, design search strategies, and navigate a wide array of electronic and print resources. We also assist patrons in evaluating and using information resources, and we provide technical support for their computing needs in the library
Drop-in Reference service is available on the first floor of Olin Library, or by chat or email. Today’s reference schedule, as well as for each day in the current semester, can be found on the Hours page.
In-depth research assistance is provided through an appointment-based research consultation. Meet with a Librarian who can help you find resources and develop your research topic.
In addition to providing direct services, reference staff produce a wide array of print and online tools designed to assist patrons in finding information on their own. Examples include research tutorials, subject pathfinders, and resource or skill guides, available via the Research Guides page.
The CoLab supports new and experimental approaches to research and teaching that use the techniques and approaches of digital scholarship (that might, for example, involve digital exhibits or digital publications, mapping, or computational text analysis), please consult the digital scholarship website.
If you wish to use or adapt any or all of the content of our Research Guides, visit Research Guides Use Conditions to review our use permissions and our Creative Commons license.