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Did you leave your laptop at home? Forgot your phone charger? Need a camera? The Checkout Desk at your library can help you out. A list of the available equipment can be found here. All equipment is available with your student ID. Materials can be renewed in person at the desk. There is a $2 fine for every hour it is returned late.
So, the next time you are studying all day at the library and your phone dies, don’t worry! Just head over to the Checkout Desk at your library.
Written by: Mekenzie Moffet
Somehow, we’re already at the point in the semester where every class seems to have an exam, paper, or project due at the same time. As an upperclassman, I definitely understand how overwhelming that can feel, especially when you’re also balancing work, clubs, and everything outside of class. Between being a student and working as a Peer Navigator, I’ve learned that having a plan and knowing where to find help can make exam season a little more manageable.
First, you still have time, so try not to put off studying until the night before an exam. Reviewing a little each night gives you more opportunities to work through the information and figure out what you don’t understand. Start by writing down your deadlines and breaking bigger assignments into smaller tasks. “Review one lecture and answer five practice questions” feels a lot more manageable than “study for chemistry.”
If the ship has already sailed on starting early, don’t fret! Start with the time you have now. Identify the topics you’re struggling with most and make a realistic plan instead of spending that time stressing about when you should have started.
It also helps to switch up how you study. Reading your notes can be a starting point, but give yourself a chance to see what you actually remember. Try flashcards, practice problems, or explaining a concept out loud without looking at your notes. You can also write down everything you remember about a topic, then check what you missed. Studying with friends can be helpful too, especially if you quiz each other and explain your answers. Just make sure the study session includes some actual studying!
Where you study matters, too. Ellis Library has designated quiet areas for anyone who needs a silent space to concentrate, including Room 114 and the Grand Reading Room. If you work better with a little background noise, there are also group study spaces throughout the library where you’ll hear that familiar buzz of chatter. Study rooms are a hot commodity during midterms and finals week, so book a space early. (You can also stop by the “Check Us Out” table every Thursday in the library to enter a drawing for your very own study room for an entire day during finals week!) Find the space that works for you, and remember to respect the noise expectations wherever you settle in. From my time working in Ellis, the library can sometimes be less busy between 7 and 10, so it may be worth trying a different time if your usual spot always seems full.
For those papers coming up, take advantage of the Writing Center in Ellis Library, Room 115. You don’t need a finished draft to make an appointment. Tutors can help you work through ideas, organize your paper, and revise what you’ve written. Getting another perspective can be especially helpful when you’ve been staring at the same paragraph for too long.
Our research librarians also deserve a shoutout! If you have subject-specific research questions, are struggling to find sources for an assignment, or need data and statistics specific to a business or community, reach out to a subject librarian. You can book a free research consultation in person or on Zoom and get help figuring out where to start or what to try next.
The Learning Center is another resource to keep in mind. Mizzou offers tutoring in several main subject areas, along with course-specific exam reviews for select classes. If you’re in one of those big introductory courses, check what support is available before your next exam – the reviews are designed by the Learning Center in partnership with your professor and specifically target what will be covered on the exam. Having someone work through a difficult concept with you can make a difference.
And please, ask the questions. Go to office hours, email your professor, or speak up when something doesn’t make sense. As an upperclassman, this is one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give. You don’t have to wait until you’re completely lost to reach out, and there’s a good chance someone else has the same question.
If a coffee break is part of your study routine, Starbucks in Memorial Union is right next to Ellis and open until 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. We also have Bookmark Café on the ground floor of Ellis, making it easy to grab coffee and settle into a study spot without leaving the building. It’s currently open until 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 2-3 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Most importantly, take a breather. Studying nonstop and giving yourself absolutely no breaks will do you no good if you’re too exhausted to focus. Take a walk, read something that isn’t assigned (a perfect opportunity to check out our wellbeing collection), spend time with friends, or do something you enjoy without thinking about school for a little while. Give yourself some time each day to unwind, and make room for sleep, too. Taking care of yourself belongs on your midterm and finals to-do list just as much as studying does.
Mizzou Libraries is pleased to provide access to Covidence for Mizzou faculty conducting research through our Covidence pilot. Covidence is a nonprofit, cloud-based platform that streamlines the systematic review process by helping researchers collect, screen and synthesize scientific evidence more efficiently.
The benefits of Covidence include:
The pilot has a limited number of projects available. To get access to Covidence, you must meet with a librarian for a consultation. Fill out the evidence synthesis request form, and your librarian will schedule a meeting with you.
For information about the library’s evidence synthesis service, see our Evidence Synthesis Guide.
ChatGPT, one of the most popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, uses a language model to respond to questions and compose various written content. Many college students use ChatGPT to help them complete assignments. While there are times when this can be helpful, it has limitations as a reliable research assistant. One thing you need to watch out for is that ChatGPT will sometimes “hallucinate” (fabricate) citations. The citations may sound legitimate and scholarly, but they are not real. If you try to find these sources through Google or the library, you will search in vain.
If you need help finding resources on a topic, just Ask a Librarian to help you find real resources so you can be successful on your next assignment!
Your research is important and we want to help you ensure it is making an impact. ORCID is a great way to start increasing your research impact with minimal effort.
What is ORCID?
An ORCID is a permanent unique identifier for researchers. Using your ORCID is more accurate and secure than a name: many people can have the same name but each ORCID is unique. They protect your unique scholarly identity and help you keep your publication record up-to-date with very little effort.
Why should you get an ORCID?
ORCID’s are permanent and will follow you throughout your entire career.
ORCID is increasingly used by individuals (e.g. as a signature in emails) and systems (e.g. in Scopus, PubMed), enabling recognition and discoverability.
ORCID automatically updates your profile from other systems – saving you time.
ORCID is unique to you.
How to get an ORCID ID?
Here is a detailed explanation of how to get your ORCID started. Reach out to the library for help!
Your article was recently accepted for publication and you want to make sure your research has the widest reach and impact. One way to make sure this happens is retaining your author rights.
Traditional publishing agreements sign your copyright away to the publisher, lessening your impact as an author. When you don’t hold your copyright, you might not be allowed to give copies to your class or distribute it among colleagues. And depending on what you sign, you aren’t allowed to put your article on your webpage or in an online depository, further limiting your exposure.
So how do you make sure you retain your copyright? Publishing agreements are negotiable. Know your rights and consider using the SPARC author addendum* to modify your agreement. The SPARC author addendum is a free and legal resource that helps you easily modify your publishing agreement.
Need help or have questions? Visit our know your rights guide or contact your subject librarian.
*The Author Addendum is a free resource developed by SPARC in partnership with Creative Commons, established non-profit organizations that offer a range of copyright options for many different creative endeavors.
At Mizzou Libraries, we’re committed to making access to research more sustainable, affordable and open. And we need your help!
In traditional publishing models, scholars surrender their copyright to commercial publishers in order to disseminate their research findings in scholarly journals. Publishers then sell or rent that same content back to the institution through journal subscriptions—at ever increasing prices. This unsustainable practice costs institutions millions of dollars every year and creates barriers to access for many. Open access publishing encourages scholars to retain their rights and make their work freely available online, increasing the availability and impact of research.
Retain Your Rights: No matter where you publish, the single most important thing you can do to make scholarly publishing more sustainable and equitable is Retain Your Rights. It’s your copyright – don’t just sign it away! Contracts are often negotiable. And read those agreements: you may have more rights to share your research than you realize.
Know Your Options: Choose the right venue for your research and know your open access options. If you’re an editor or manuscript reviewer, ask about the journal’s OA options.
Share Your Work: Deposit your research in MOspace, MU’s Digital Institutional Repository. Submitting your work to MOspace is easy. Just log in with your SSO and complete the Creative Commons license.
Learn More: Talk with your Subject Specialist about open access in your area or request a Zoom workshop for your department, team or lab.
Written by: Bri Dunham
Among the many things I love about being a student at Mizzou, specifically, I love how many opportunities are provided. From internships, to jobs, to clubs – there are so many different options to get yourself involved. One of things I don’t love, however, is how much luggage comes with being involved on campus. Let’s say you’re taking the shuttle to campus to catch an 8 a.m. class: alongside your normal school bag, you bring lunch from home and also bring materials you need for a club. That’s three different bags you’d need to lug around campus all day. Ellis Library actually has a solution for this that I recently learned about.
Located on the 1st floor of Ellis, in front of the circulation desk, are lockers that are free to use for any student. The only thing you need is a physical student ID. Open lockers will show a green light on the numbered panel, whereas occupied will show a red light. Once you put your belongings in a locker, all you need to do is tap your ID on the numbered pad and it will change to a red light. When you’re wanting to retrieve your belongings, you do the same process to unlock the locker. Need to charge your phone or computer? These lockers have built-in USB ports for you to use while you’re away. You can also borrow a multitude of different charging cords from the Check Out and Information Desk. Equipment lending is only allowed for up to 4 hours, so make sure to not leave it for too long if you go this route! Lockers are also only for day use, and anything left in the lockers overnight will be given to the Lost and Found at the West Entrance desk.
These lockers were first installed in the early months of 2021, and were funded by the Enhance Mizzou student fee. So, what is the Enhance Mizzou student fee? Enhance Mizzou was actually a result of a campaign led by students in 2017 to improve student facilities across campus. Representatives from Missouri Students Association, Graduate Professional Council and other groups met together after student survey results requested improvements, and led an effort for students to vote on the creation of the Enhance Mizzou fee. The fee had a rate of $2.91 per credit hour and capped at $35 per semester for undergraduates. While the fee went to many resources on campus (including the counseling center), the Libraries were an emphasis area. This is what provided funding for the library to be open 24/7, more resources for special collections, and of course, the lockers.
Publishing open access is a great way to keep research open and retain your copyright. We do understand that publishing open access comes with a financial commitment that you wouldn’t necessarily have with traditional publishing.
To help offset costs, Mizzou Libraries has agreements with several publishers that offer discounts and support of article processing charges (APCs) for the following journals.
Want to learn more? Talk with your subject librarian about open access in your area.
The Grand Reading Room – Then and Now
Written by: Ben Atterberry
The next time you study in Ellis Library’s Reading Room, take a moment to look around. The room may feel familiar, but it looked strikingly different when Ellis Library opened in 1915: unfinished, dimly lit, and open on one side to the rest of the building. According to the University Libraries’ Ellis Old and New page, the room was not finished when the library opened. A 1914 photograph shows it still being put together, with light fixtures on one side lacking the glass globes found on fixtures elsewhere in the room. The coffered ceiling was left plain white at the time, and it stayed that way until the room was freshened up in 2003 – nearly 90 years after the room first opened the ceiling and wall details were finally painted.
The room was also initially more open to the rest of the library. In a 1915 photograph looking south, no partition separates the room from the hallway; students at the tables could see straight past the columns into what used to be the Delivery Room, where a card catalog was used to request and pick up books. That sightline doesn’t exist anymore. A partition now closes off the gap between the columns, though the archive doesn’t specify exactly when it went up. The old Delivery Room itself was turned into Room 213, a space built in the late 1990s that now houses the library’s Electronic Classroom. At the time, that was the extent of the second floor – there were no east stacks, and the connecting reading room where the cast gallery is now didn’t exist.
In 1936 a second, connected reading room (now room 202) was added to the Grand Reading Room almost doubling the size of the space. The room’s purpose shifted over the decades: the architect’s 1936 plan shows a desk near the West Stacks doors where books could be requested, and by 1955 the room served as the Reserved Book Reading Room. These changes are easy to miss on a normal walk through the library. To help visitors explore Ellis Library’s past and present, University Libraries maintain a Now and Then Photographs guide, pairing historical images with photos of the same spots today. So, on your next study session, picture the room as it looked in 1915: unfinished, partly lit, and open to the hallway. The quiet space students know now took decades to take shape and included one very delayed paint job.
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