Your source for what's new at Mizzou Libraries
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:
As a first-generation student, I have always been passionate about supporting first-generation students! After joining Mizzou as a Student Success Librarian, I started supporting first-generation student initiatives. Eventually, I became a member of the First-Generation Student Success Advisory Board, which meets regularly to ensure we continue supporting our first-generation students best, promoting services, starting initiatives, and creating goals for the First-Generation Student Initiatives coordinator.
When students in Tri-Alpha, the first-generation honor society, answered a question about which campus resource impacted them the most, they all answered the library. One student wrote, “The library and the helpfulness of the faculty! The library has been an amazing resource as someone who needs to study and lives in a place with multiple roommates. The faculty has helped guide me throughout my years here and point me in the direction I needed.”
In the past year, I have built tools and initiatives at the library that support our first-generation students both directly and indirectly. I’ve presented at student events, to student parents, and at tabling events to share library tools with first-generation students, and I am so excited that they have found our resources helpful! Here are a few resources that might be helpful for first-generation students or faculty and staff who are interested in discussing how to support first-generation students better:
• A new library webpage for first-generation students sharing resources and tools that are curated specifically for first-generation students. Find it here: https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/firstgen
• The NEW Wellbeing Collection on the first floor of Ellis Library includes resources for first-generation students and other campus groups, as well as books for leisure reading.
• A Faculty and Staff First-Generation Initiative, where any faculty and staff can join our reading group. We meet to discuss articles on first-generation topics monthly, and one book per semester.
For more information, contact me: Jill Kline, jill.kline@missouri.edu.
Send a Pet Gram!– Feeling stressed? Need a pick me up or know someone else who needs a a dose of serotonin? Send yourself, a friend, a coworker, or whoever else a pet gram to make them smile.
Color our Collections– for the past few years, Special Collections participated in a week long, social media coloring fest. You can print out and color items from our special collections and archives. And to get you in the Mizzou spirit, there’s a homecoming edition featuring drawings, cartoons, and images from the Savitar, the yearbook of the University of Missouri, published from 1894 to 2004.
Library Ambiance– miss the sounds of the library while studying? One of our favorite things to do is pull up some videos on youtube that mimic the sounds of the library, coffee shops, or our house common room. We’ve curated a list of our favorites to share with you.
Finals Jam Playlist– need a playlist to help you study? We got you covered. This is a list of some of our favorite songs. If you have a suggestion let us know!
Virtual Puzzles– If puzzles are your thing, virtual puzzles can be a nice break from studying. You can even work on the Ellis Library Grand Reading Room.
Animal Cams at the St. Louis Zoo– Animal therapy is backed by science and instantly makes you feel better.
Teen Health and Wellness- While a promoted to teens, this Daniel Boone Regional Library resource is for everyone. It has a calm room which feature your choice of calming sounds, animal cams, and information on mindfulness and meditation. You do need a DBRL library card to access this resource, but if you are Mizzou student, you can get a library card.
It’s that time of the semester when you are most likely thinking about your final papers. We’ve got several guides to make the writing process easier.
Finding Sources
We suggest starting by looking at Databases by Subject in your subject area. This is a quick way to find the best databases that fit your topic.
Citing Sources
Citation Styles & Tools: Citation Styles: The Basics – See tabs for APA, MLA, Chicago, and specialty citation formats. You can also learn more about how our databases help you cite the sources you find.
Paraphrasing vs Plagiarism
Curious about the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarizing? Check out our plagiarism tutorial and other resources here.
Writing Help
Did you know there’s a Writing Center site in Ellis Library in the Info Commons? You can sign up for a writing center appointment here.
As always, your Mizzou Librarians are available to help you through MU Connect and 24/7 chat.
No question is too big or small. We are here for you!
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
2 to 3:15 pm
114A Ellis Library
Open House Research Presentation
ARH_VS 4160W / 7160: Global Encounters in Art History
Prof. Anne Rudloff Stanton
By Ellie Cearley, Alexis Cornett, Fynn Lamanske, Sara Lawson, Jake Mangan, Kaitlyn Melton, Adakunle Ogunleke, Muditha Pathirana, Greg Pekurney, Didintle Setzin, Xiaoran Tang, and Hanxue Zhang
Written by: Sophie Lanzone
Ellis Library has a diverse set of collections, including our extensive section on Government Documents. The library has been a participant in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) since 1862, which allows it to provide public access to a wide range of federal government publications. These documents are located on the east side of the first floor and include various types of government information, such as agency reports, appropriations, census data, and Supreme Court decisions. The collection offers a rich source of historical and current information that can support research in fields like education, social work, political science, economics, public policy, law, and history.
In addition to federal documents, Ellis Library also holds Missouri state government documents. These publications are integrated into the general library collections under standard call numbers, such as the Library of Congress or Dewey Decimal system, making them easy to find alongside other academic materials. The library also maintains government documents in microfiche format, which are stored in drawers near the Government Documents office. Students and faculty studying political science or are just interested in public policy can use federal and state reports to analyze the effects of government decisions and track policy changes over time. Students can use these resources to develop case studies, research papers, and presentations. The accessibility and diversity of government documents make them a critical resource for anyone seeking to understand the workings of government and its influence on various aspects of society.
When you navigate to the Government Documents tab under “Libraries & Collections,” you’ll find a comprehensive guide to various government documents. On the left side, you can choose between Federal or Missouri documents. The guide includes resources like agency reports, census data, appropriations, and Supreme Court decisions, organized alphabetically by document type. Use the left navigation bar for more details on federal, state, or local information. You can access the guide here. You can also explore the Government Documents Policy and Procedure Guide, which outlines the collection’s various aspects. For example, the maps section includes national park maps, army mapping services, jet navigation charts, tactical pilotage charts, and more. To learn more about different resources, you can access the guide here.
For assistance in locating and using these resources, the Government Documents office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The staff can help guide researchers to the appropriate materials and provide insight into how to navigate the collection effectively. This ensures that students and researchers can make the most of the extensive government document resources available at Ellis Library.
Need research help? Working on your final paper or project? You can ask a librarian for help using our chat service– almost 24 hours a day.
During the day you can chat with Mizzou librarians and library staff. At night, we offer access to a chat reference service called ChatStaff. They will be able to answer most research questions, except for some that are Mizzou-specific.
To access the chat service and see what hours chat reference is available, visit libraryanswers.missouri.edu.
“Rebecca Graves has been a pillar of support for the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing, advancing research, education and student success,” is what attendees heard when Rebecca Graves attended the 35th Annual Nursing Banquet to accept the 2025 Honorary Alumni Award.
The Honorary Alumni award is given to someone who shows outstanding achievement in nursing or support for the nursing profession. It is through her work as an education librarian at the J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library that Rebecca Graves has had such a profound impact on nursing students in the beginnings of their nursing journey to the collaborative efforts with nursing faculty on key initiatives, including systematic reviews and grant-funded projects such as best practices for managing COVID-19 in nursing homes.
“We are excited to honor Rebecca for her amazing support of our faculty and students,” said Donna Otto MSN, who was one of the nominators. “When I coordinated the RN to BSN option for the school back a few years ago, Rebecca was always so gracious to come and work with the students. This is how I knew of her value to our students and faculty.”
Faculty often count on Rebecca to lay the foundation necessary for students to understand and implement evidence-based practice strategies, a skill students will need to excel in their nursing careers, whether in clinical practice or as a nurse researcher. Her ability to simplify complex academic processes has empowered countless students, particularly those returning to academia for advanced degrees. Her approachable teaching style empowers students and strengthens the academic foundation of the Sinclair School of Nursing.
Learning goes both ways. Rebecca shared that it is such a joy to be a part of the “ah ha” moments and values how time spent with students and faculty gives her the opportunity to also learn about ever evolving health sciences. “I deeply respect our nursing faculty for the work they do both teaching our students as well as the research they conduct to improve the health of Missourians and people in general. Being able to assist them in this work and be a part of their team is an honor,” says Rebecca Graves.
Congratulations to Rebecca Graves for being awarded the Sinclair School of Nursing 2025 Honorary Alumni Award!
Starting at 10 am on Sunday, April 27, Ellis Library will be open for 24 hours every day until 7 p.m. on Friday, May 16.
For a complete listing of hours, including for all specialized libraries, visit library.missouri.edu/hours.
This year’s MU Remembers ceremony, commemorating students, faculty and staff who have passed away in the last year, will be held Friday, April 5. A book in remembrance of each honoree will be added to the University of Missouri Libraries’ collection. Commemorative bookplates are placed inside the books, and honorees’ names are placed on the books’ library catalog records.
The honorees’ names and the books selected in their memory are listed below.
Student
Candyce Richie: Gitlin, M. (2024). The spirit of freedom: Powerful women of the civil rights movement. Rowman & Littlefield.
Faculty and Staff
William D. Allen: Wójcik, D. (2024). Atlas of finance: Mapping the global story of money. Yale University Press.
Wanda Birchler: Taylor, M. (2022). How birds live together: Colonies and communities in the avian world. Princeton University Press.
Sadie Chandler: Burroughs, C. & Gainor, J. E. (Eds.). (2024). The Routledge anthology of women’s theatre theory and dramatic criticism. Routledge.
Joseph Chirillo: Fischer, C. S. (1994). America calling: A social history of the telephone to 1940. University of California Press.
Hope Christofferson: Magaloni, D., Domenici, D., & de Carteret, A. (Eds.). (2024). We live in painting: The nature of color in Mesoamerican art. DelMonico Books.
Doreen Frappier: Koutsopolous, T. (2024). A new approach to dogs and dog training: Human-canine synergy in theory and practice. Springer.
Jordan Garza: Consalvo, M. (2016). Atari to Zelda: Japan’s videogames in global contexts. MIT Press.
Michael Goldschmidt: Lucas, D. (2021). Ecological buildings: New strategies for sustainable architecture. Braun Publishing.
Sheryl Kilbourn: Sanjek, R. (2024). American popular music and its business in the digital age: 1985-2020. Oxford University Press.
Wang-Sik Kim: Lim, S. (Ed.). (2024). Politics, international relations and diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Routledge.
David Kropf II: Kunze, P. (2023). Staging a comeback: Broadway, Hollywood, and the Disney renaissance. Rutgers University Press.
Douglas Lammers: Eberl, J. T. & Decker, K. S. (Eds.). (2022). Star Wars and philosophy strikes back: This is the way. Wiley-Blackwell.
Charles Marra: Pierotti, M., Monreale, A., & De Santis, F. (2024). Artificial intelligence in accounting and auditing: Accessing the corporate implications. Palgrave Macmillan.
Glenda Payne: Symes, M. (2024). Prints and the landscape garden: Image, illusion, illumination. John Hudson Publishing.
Anna Romero: Alonso, P. (2024). Digital satire in Latin America: Online video humor as hybrid alternative media. University of Florida Press.
Matthew Smith: Wilkinson, C. (2024). Treaty justice: The northwest tribes, the Boldt decision, and the recognition of fishing rights. University of Washington Press.
Jim Sowers: Rao, G. H. R., & Das, U. N. (Eds.). (2025). Cardiometabolic diseases: Molecular basis, early detection of risks, and management. Elsevier Academic Press.
Haoyi Wang: Klein, B. (2024). The insect epiphany: How our six-legged allies shape human culture. Timber Press.
Jon White: Marshall, H. W. (2022). Keep it old-time: fiddle music in Missouri from the 1960s folk music revival to the present. University of Missouri Press.
Paul Whittier, Jr.: Cherrington, J. (Ed.). (2024). Mountain biking, culture and society. Routledge.
Andrew Youkilis: Marks, W. J., & Ostrem, J. L. (Eds.). (2022). Deep brain stimulation management (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.