Shannon Cary

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Lean Library Allows You to Access Mizzou Libraries—Anywhere, Anytime

Lean Library Allows You to Access Mizzou Libraries—Anywhere, Anytime

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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title of post on gray, black and gold graphic

Lean Library is a free browser extension available to all current Mizzou students, faculty and staff. Whether starting your research on Google Scholar, a publisher’s site, or anywhere else online, Lean Library helps you seamlessly connect to library resources when you’re off campus or not on Tiger WiFi.

Here’s how it works:

  • Automatically checks if Mizzou Libraries has access to the article or book you’re viewing.
  • Provides direct links to full-text content when available.
  • Prompts you to log in using MU’s Single Sign-On (SSO)—just like email or Canvas.

4 simple steps to get started

Step 1: Go to Lean Library Extension
Step 2: Install the extension
Step 3: Select the University of Missouri, Columbia
Step 4: Search for articles and journals, and enjoy quick access to all library resources


Need something we don’t have?
Lean Library makes it easy to request articles and books through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service—at no cost to you.

For more information, visit our Lean Library guide.

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Book a Librarian for Research Help

Book a Librarian for Research Help

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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Book a librarian for research help

Whether you are starting your first research project or have written a dozen articles, you can benefit from a consultation with a librarian. It’s free and you can book online in advance according to your schedule.

Librarians can meet with you virtually or in-person.

MU Students can use Canvas to schedule an appointment via MU Connect* and meet with the librarian assigned to your class. Students, if you book a research consultation with a librarian, you can earn a point towards your S.T.A.R. recognition.

MU Faculty and Staff can fill out the form to schedule an appointment.

*What is MU Connect, and how do you use it? Watch this short video to find out and make an appointment today.

home Events and Exhibits, Gateway Carousel Read a Banned Book and You Might Win a Prize

Read a Banned Book and You Might Win a Prize

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Events and Exhibits Gateway Carousel
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Truman the Tiger with a book

It’s Banned Book Week, and you can celebrate by reading a banned book and entering the Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge! Click here for a list of banned book titles recommended by Dr. Sam Cohen, Associate Professor in the Department of English and author of Banning Books in American–Not a How-To.

Mizzou Libraries invites the campus community (students, staff, and faculty) to join our inaugural campus-wide Reading Challenge! This challenge runs from September 2026 to April 2027.

Read (or listen to) a book each month based on that month’s theme, tell us about it, and be entered into win one of our monthly prizes. Complete all 8 months to be entered in to the grand prize drawing.

Select this link to learn more about the Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge.

home Events and Exhibits, Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Open Access Week 2026: The Cost of Knowledge

Open Access Week 2026: The Cost of Knowledge

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Events and Exhibits Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
Posted on
list of open access week workshops

Mizzou Libraries invites you to join us for International Open Access Week 2026 (October 19-25), a global event focused on increasing awareness and understanding of open access and scholarly communication. This year’s theme, “The Cost of Knowledge,” explores the growing financial barriers to accessing and sharing research, while examining who bears those costs and who benefits from the current system.

Throughout the week, Mizzou Libraries will offer a series of online workshops designed to help researchers, students and authors navigate the scholarly publishing landscape. Topics include identifying predatory journals, understanding open access publishing options, building a research identity as an undergraduate scholar, and protecting your rights as an author through copyright awareness. Whether you are just beginning your research journey or preparing your next publication, these sessions will provide practical strategies for making informed decisions about sharing and accessing knowledge.

Join us as we explore how open access can advance human understanding, increase the visibility of research, and support a more equitable scholarly communication ecosystem. All workshops are free, but registration is required.

Predatory Journals: The Dark Side of Open Access

Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

Open Access Publishing: Expanding the Reach of Your Research

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

Undergraduate Researchers: Your Research Identity & Publishing Opportunities

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:50pm
Registration

Copyright for Authors

Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

home Staff news Sage Skills Project

Sage Skills Project

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Staff news
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Jill Kline has been working with our Sage Engagement Librarian, Kelleen, to design a creative way for students to interact with the Sage Skills Platform. Since the project was connected to the Check Us Out tabling series, the theme was wellbeing and focused on skills supporting the eight dimensions of the Wellness Wheel. Together, Kelleen and Jill curated a list of skills, and the marketing team at Sage worked with Kelleen to create the trading card-like deck. Check Us Out was a success with over 40 people stopping to explore the cards, and even more after Check Us Out tabling was over (the cards were left in the library colonnade over the weekend). See more information about the collaboration between Kelleen and Jill here.

library presentation set up in Ellis Library

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services How to Find Ebooks at Mizzou Libraries

How to Find Ebooks at Mizzou Libraries

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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illustration of ebook

Mizzou Libraries has access to many ebooks and we have an easy way for you to search for them.

Go to library.missouri.edu and type out your topic or the name of the book (put the title in quotation marks for best results) you are looking for in the search box. Click the search button (see the image below for an example).

For books in health sciences, take a look at the Health Sciences Library ebook page.

For books in veterinary medicine, take a look at the Zalk Library ebook page.

For books in journalism and communication, take a look at the Journalism Library ebook page.

If you get stuck or have a question, our 24/6 chat is on the right hand side of the screen. We are here for you. In addition, visit our Finding Ebooks page for more information, including how to download ebooks.

Scroll down through the search results until you see Filter by Format on the left hand side. Choose Ebook and Electronic Resources. If these options do not show up, choose Show More, then click Ebook and Electronic Resources. At the list of results, filter by “Library Location – MU Online Library” to see titles accessible to MU patrons (we can’t use ebooks from the other UM campuses).
list of source types

home Cycle of Success, Gateway Carousel, Special Collections and Archives Welcome to Julie Cismoski

Welcome to Julie Cismoski

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Cycle of Success Gateway Carousel Special Collections and Archives
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Julie Cismoski joined Special Collections this summer as the instruction and exhibitions librarian, a key role in the department. An experienced librarian and educator, Julie has worked in special collections at the University of Southern Maine Library, among other academic libraries, as well as an English as an Additional Language teacher abroad and in nonprofits in Portland, OR. She holds a Master’s of Library Science from Indiana University-Bloomington and a BA in history and German language and literature from Hamline University. Julie is working with faculty and students to develop and facilitate our primary source instruction program. She also develops and collaborates on digital and physical exhibitions and other outreach initiatives in Special Collections.

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Fast, Easy Laptop Checkout at Ellis Library

Fast, Easy Laptop Checkout at Ellis Library

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Resources and Services
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laptop kiosk in Ellis Library

Students, faculty and staff who need a laptop can check one out from a new self-service kiosk in the Ellis Library Bookmark Café. The kiosk offers both MacBooks and PCs with standard Mizzou software, as well as portable battery chargers.

Laptops can be checked out for up to 24 hours with a valid MU ID card or digital ID.

Checking out the laptop requires four easy steps:

  1. SELECT
    Choose a Mac, PC or battery pack
  2. SWIPE
    Use your valid MU ID
  3. GO!
    It’s yours for 24 hours
  4. LOG OFF and RETURN
    Don’t forget to log off before you return the laptop to the kiosk.

Laptop Kiosk FAQ

home Uncategorized Message From the Vice Provost for Libraries

Message From the Vice Provost for Libraries

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Uncategorized
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Photo of Kara Whatley, Vice Provost of Libraries

Dear Faculty,

At Mizzou Libraries, we remain committed to supporting your learning, research and well-being as you pursue your academic goals.

This semester, we are pleased to continue our Sage Impact Partnership, which provides access to affordable course content, instructional videos, and research methods resources. These materials are designed to enrich your learning experience and make high-quality academic content more accessible for students and instructors alike.

For our researchers, Mizzou Libraries continues to expand support for scholarly publishing and research impact. Through agreements with major publishers, Mizzou corresponding authors can publish open access without paying article processing charges by leveraging library subscription investments to make their work more broadly available. We have also launched the Open Journal Finder. This tool helps researchers identify journals that align with their publishing goals by providing information on open-access options, publication costs, author instructions, library-supported publishing agreements, and Mizzou-specific publishing metrics. Learn more about these opportunities by visiting our Open Access Publishing Guide and the Open Journal Finder.

We are also excited to offer a growing suite of research support tools designed to help you discover, analyze, and manage scholarly information more effectively. These resources include Keenious, an AI-powered literature discovery tool; LeapSpace, which provides access to advanced AI capabilities for teaching, learning, and research; TDM Studio, a platform for text and data mining of scholarly content; and Covidence, a tool that streamlines evidence synthesis and systematic review workflows. Together, these services help researchers work more efficiently throughout the research lifecycle.

Finally, don’t miss out on the many workshops, classes, and events happening at Mizzou Libraries throughout the semester. From research skills to creative projects, there’s something for everyone. Check our events and workshop calendars regularly to stay informed.

Beyond our collections and services, Mizzou Libraries is a place to explore ideas, build new skills, and connect with the campus community. From studying in our spaces and attending workshops, to collaborating with librarians, publishing research, and discovering new technologies, I encourage you to take advantage of all we have to offer. We invite you to engage with us throughout the semester and let us know how we can support your success.

Thank you for making Mizzou Libraries part of your academic journey. We look forward to partnering with you this semester and beyond.

Warm Regards,
Kara Whatley
Vice Provost for University Libraries