home Ellis Library, Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Peer Navigator Corner: My Favorite Space in Ellis Library

Peer Navigator Corner: My Favorite Space in Ellis Library

Written by: Lexi Tucker

If you spend a regular amount of time in Ellis Library, I think it’s safe to say you have a ‘designated spot’ that seems to get the job done when doubling down on assignments. The space I tend to occupy while studying late at night is the Information Commons on the first floor of Ellis Library.

The James B. Nutter Family Information Commons, formally named to honor Mizzou philanthropists and alum James B. Nutter Sr., was opened in the Fall of 2004. With 22,000 square feet, the Information Commons provides 63 computers (22 Apple iMacs and 41 Dell PCs), 11 Black and white printers, one color printer, and two KIC scanners, all conveniently clumped together and available for student use during regularly scheduled Ellis Library operation hours.

Only a few steps in when you enter Ellis from Lowry Mall, or directly at the top of the stairs when entering from speaker circle, the Information Commons, divided as Information Commons 1 and 2, takes up the majority of the first floor of Ellis Library as indicated on the map. In this section, you will find students collaborating in small groups, lounging between classes at comfortable one-seaters, or tuning out the tour teams to focus on individual assignments.

Some may ask, how is going to arguably the most populated area in the library going to help me focus during crunch time in the semester? For myself and maybe others, it’s sometimes more distracting to be alone in a study room, and I find the keyboard strokes, the paper flipping, and the calculator punching fill the silence perfectly, bringing a sense of peace when I’m otherwise stressed about schoolwork. If your study habits are best suited to particular conditions, the library has a map of locations designed to support sensory needs as well as quiet spaces to foster the best environment for you.

The Information Commons is my go-to space, and as the first area that made me feel comfortable in the library, I soon discovered my other favorite study locations in Ellis. If you have questions or want suggestions on how to utilize the Information Commons and the library in general, please feel free to stop by the Peer Navigators desk, conveniently located between the two sections of the Information Commons.

 

home Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Countdown to Finals: Mizzou Libraries Wants You to Be Prepared!

Countdown to Finals: Mizzou Libraries Wants You to Be Prepared!

It’s the end of the semester, and we all know what that means: Finals.

We want you to be prepared, so here are some tips and tricks to help make things a little easier for you this finals season:

  1. Mizzou Libraries Hours

  2. Study Spaces

  3. Library Account Status

  4. Supplies in the Library

  5. Chat with the Librarians

  6. Writing Your Final Paper

  7. Stress Relief!

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Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.

Welcome to Jara Anderson

The MU Libraries are pleased to announce that Jara Anderson has been hired as the research and instruction librarian for agriculture, natural resources and Extension. Jara has a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Columbia College. She taught in Prague, Czech Republic, for three years before returning to Missouri for graduate school. She has been with MU Libraries since 2021, including as a graduate assistant in Digital Initiatives, library information assistant at the Health Sciences Library, and most recently as the senior library information specialist at the Veterinary Medical Library. Jara also has nearly eight years of experience as a freelance copywriter and grant writer, and she has helped numerous agricultural businesses across rural Missouri gain funding to expand their operations.

Welcome to Katie Rahman

The MU Libraries are pleased to announce that Katie Rahman has been hired as the systems librarian. Katie has a Master of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University and a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies from the University of Minnesota. She has previously worked as a systems librarian and a systems manager at Wyoming State Library. As systems manager, she oversaw the integrated library system, and integrated third-party products and the online catalog.

home Ellis Library, Gateway Carousel, Hours Ellis Library Open 24/7 Through December 15

Ellis Library Open 24/7 Through December 15

Ellis Library is now open 24/7 until finals are over on December 15. An MU ID is required to access the building between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

For a complete list of MU Libraries hours, visit library.missouri.edu/workshops.

home Ellis Library, Gateway Carousel, Resources and Services Peer Navigator Corner: Finding a Specific Book

Peer Navigator Corner: Finding a Specific Book

Written by: Sophie Lanzone

If you are looking to find a specific book when you know the title, first go to the bottom of the Mizzou Libraries homepage and the Looking For section.

Under this heading there are specific links to help find a specific database, article, journal, or book.

Click on the link that says A specific book. This will take you to a new page where you will enter the title of the book you’re looking to find. If there are multiple editions, or versions with that title, you’ll be prompted with a link that says Proceed to Discover@MU to see all the options.

                                             

This will take you to a new page with books that have the exact title you entered. Each listing will show all the information about the book such as the title, author, number of pages, location, call number, status, etc. Once you have found the record, look at the location, call number and status. The location will tell you which library it is located at (make sure you’re in the right one!), the call number indicates which floor and shelf this book is located on, and the status indicates whether or not the book is available at the moment.

You can place a request for the book at this point, and have it brought for you to the circulation desk. This takes time though, and sometimes you can find other things you’d like if you go to the stacks yourself.

Since the call number tells you where the book can be found, make sure to save it by writing it down or taking a screen shot. You can always ask for help finding the location at the circulation or peer navigator desks, but you can also find call number locations on the Libraries main website. At the very top of the page, in the yellow bar, there is a drop-down menu that says In the Library. Click on that drop-down menu and then click Call Number. This will take you to a new page with a tab that says How to Find a Book, at the very top in yellow. This tab will bring up a list of call numbers and which floor they are located on.

Look at your call number and then find which floor and location it falls under. In this example, the call number is PS3511, meaning this book is located in 2 East.

After you have figured out which stack it is in, you can ask for directions, or follow the link at the very top of the Libraries website that says Maps and Floorplans.

Choose Ellis Library (Main Library), and you’ll see the option to click on a map of each floor. Since our example is in 2 East, that means it is on the second floor. The map shows where each stack is, and what each stack has. Since the call number for this book is PS3511, it falls under the PQ-QK stack. In this case you would take the elevator or stairs up to the second floor, take a slight right past the bathrooms and then walk down until you have reached the PQ-QK stacks. You’ll look for the P section, then the PS section, then the 3000s, and so on until you’ve run through the entire call number.

If you are wanting to go through the process yourself, those are the steps. If you run into any issues or questions, always feel free to ask the Peer Navigators and the Circulation Desk, or hop on the Libraries chat for more assistance!

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.

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Taira Meadowcroft

Taira Meadowcroft is the Public Health and Community Engagement Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri.