Staff news
Peer Navigator Corner: Your Guide to LibGuides
Written by: Isabella Bickhaus
Almost every time I write a blog post for the Libraries I find myself linking multiple LibGuides to provide more information for our readers. When brainstorming for this post, it occurred to me that you might not know what this library jargon means! In short, LibGuides (Library Guides) are library webpages, usually created by a librarian, that hold information regarding specific topics.
Each LibGuide on our Libraries page was created to showcase resources on themes, to highlight available resources, and/or to assist with research for a specific course. If you took English 1000, there is a good chance that you encountered this Basic Research LibGuide. Course LibGuides range from pages supporting introductory Anthropology to graduate-level Civil Engineering. Finding a course LibGuide starts with selecting the “Course Guides” button on the library’s homepage, or searching for the number of your course in the top right corner.
Not every course has a corresponding LibGuide, and if that is the case, subject LibGuides are a great resource. These are found through the same “Course Guides” link, and then using the left-hand navigation pane to switch to“Subject Guides.” The navigation pane is actually a great example of how LibGuides themselves are organized. Each one includes a main page with a general overview of the topic, with a navigation pane either on the left or as a set of tabs across the top of the page to navigate to more specific information related to that topic.
LibGuides are not limited to research materials, but also include interesting resources that the library and Mizzou have to offer. For example, this LibGuide gives the inside scoop on the Fun Stuff at the Library. You can explore what the BYOB Book club is reading, or this Morbidly Curious LibGuide if you “prefer the darker side of non-fiction.” You can also find resources on things like voting and applying to graduate school. The library’s most popular LibGuide provides resources on determining Price and Wages by decade, beginning in the 1700s.
Check out this list of all the LibGuides the library has to offer!
Cycle of Success: Empowering Student Entrepreneurs Through Library Research
When students enroll in MANGMT 4700: Principles of Entrepreneurship, they expect to learn how to build a business. What many don’t expect is the role the library plays in helping them evaluate ideas, analyze markets, and build evidence based business plans.
Each semester, Business Librarian Gwen Gray, visits Stacie Kane’s entrepreneurship course to introduce students to the powerful research tools available through Mizzou Libraries. Kane, an entrepreneur herself, encourages her students to ground their business ideas in solid data, and Gwen’s workshop helps them do just that.
Turning Ideas Into Feasible Ventures
Students typically explore business concepts like salons, gyms, coffee shops or landscaping services. Gwen demonstrates how tools such as SimplyAnalytics, IBISWorld, Mintel, and Reference Solutions (available through Daniel Boone Regional Library), can help them move from concept to research supported feasibility.
For many students, this is their first exposure to the breadth of business intelligence available through academic and public libraries.
Student Reactions: “Scary,” “Cool,” and Transformative
The student feedback after receiving library instruction reflects a mix of surprise, excitement and new appreciation for library research:
- Many were amazed by the specificity of demographic data—some calling it “scary” but also “extremely useful” for entrepreneurial decision making.
- Dozens noted that they had no idea the university or public libraries offered so many business focused tools.
- A surprising number concluded the same thing: “I’m getting a library card!”
Students also recognized the long term value of these skills. Several said they plan to use these databases for job interviews, future ventures or even ongoing personal businesses.
Beyond the Assignment: Inspiring Lifelong Library Users
For Gwen, these course visits are more than instructional sessions—they’re opportunities to “evangelize for libraries.” She emphasizes that wherever students go after graduation, their local libraries may offer resources they never knew existed. All they have to do is ask.
The impact is clear: students leave not only better equipped to complete their feasibility analyses, but also more confident in conducting real world business research.
A Cycle of Success in Entrepreneurship Education
Through this collaboration between the Mizzou Libraries and the Trulaske College of Business, students gain essential skills for entrepreneurial thinking. Professor Kane’s dedication, paired with Gwen’s expertise, creates an environment where ideas become informed strategies—and where students discover the powerful role libraries can play in their success.
This ongoing partnership showcases exactly what the Cycle of Success is all about: when faculty, librarians and students work together, everyone benefits.
Staff Corner: Sad News
Alice Allen, a former library employee, passed away on January 9. Her son sent posted this message on Facebook:
Hello friends of Alice- this is Gordon writing to share the devastating news that Alice passed away unexpectedly this past Friday. She passed at home in bed, which she told me many times was the passing she would choose for herself if she could. A small comfort for those of us who are diminished by her absence.
My mother was a kind & gentle soul, and I credit her with my love of books & learning, my love of music, and my appreciation for life’s simpler, quieter pleasures.
While there will not be a funeral service (by Alice’s own desire), there will be a stone in the cremation garden at Westlawn Cemetery here in Eugene, should you have occasion to visit.
I apologize for delivering such sad news via Facebook, but it seemed the easiest way to connect with all of you. I’ve tagged myself in this post so you can contact me through Facebook if you like.
Thank you all for being a part of my mothers’ life. Please know that she cherished her relationships with you all, and I know that we will all miss her dearly.
In the News
“25 things to do at Mizzou before you graduate”
Show Me Mizzou, Jan. 21, 2026
“Eight ways faculty and staff can build community at Mizzou”
Show Me Mizzou, Jan. 20, 2026
“University of Missouri Libraries Adds Collection of World War II Posters to Digital Library”
Charleston Hub, Jan. 19, 2026
Library Management Team Notes 1/5/2026
What Does a Library AI Faculty Fellow Even Do?
When sharing that I’m the Libraries’ AI Faculty Fellow, the most common response is a polite nod followed by a puzzled, “So, what do you actually do?”
To start, there’s the deep dive into the world of AI. For libraries, this means going beyond ChatGPT, exploring research applications and research-specific AIs. It’s learning how models are trained, wrestling with questions about copyright and privacy, and attending presentations that range from webinars to an AI Summit hosted by the University of Florida. Essentially, it’s being a perpetual student of AI and then trying to translate that knowledge into actionable insights for the campus community.
Collaboration with other Faculty Fellows, committees, working groups and task forces is another big part of the role. As I learn about the variety of projects across campus, for example, the College of Education’s open-access AI instruction cookbook and Physical Therapy’s AI model that simulates patients for students to practice with, I help connect researchers who would benefit from the developing applications and use cases. I’ve participated in the development of department and campus AI policies by leading and consulting during policy workshops, and am involved in testing different GenAI models as part of the Show-Me AI pilot, trying to determine what might be the best applications for Mizzou to invest in and share.
Back in the library world, I chair a team testing research AI tools — like Keenious, Scite and Elicit — that might enhance the discoverability of library resources. But it’s not just about tools – we are getting more questions about AI on chat and through email all the time. I get to tackle the tough questions we receive, relating to AI hallucinations and whether library-subscribed journal articles can legally be used to train large language models for data extraction. With the disclaimer that, of course, I’m not a lawyer and can’t give legal advice, it means staying up to date on court decisions, lawsuits, and emerging legal frameworks (Updated Map of US Copyright Suits v. AI).
Of course, all this learning means nothing if it isn’t shared. In addition to traditional classroom instruction and library workshops, I’ve presented at the Directors of Graduate Studies Summit, as a panelist for a MOBIUS E-Resources webinar on AI, at a campus-wide donor event representing the work MU does with AI, at retreats for updating curriculum, at departmental trainings for graduate students, at the Missouri Library Association Annual Conference and more.
Sharing AI literacy information includes the creation (and continual updating) of our Libraries AI LibGuide, and collaboration with librarians from across the state to build an online AI resource guide. Outreach also includes training the Libraries’ student Peer Navigator team on AI so they can pass that knowledge along to their peers.
It’s been exactly one year since I became the Libraries’ AI Faculty Fellow. While there’s been a lot to learn, somewhere between the webinars, policy discussions and presentations, I get to have great conversations about how libraries can lead — thoughtfully, ethically and creatively — in an AI-driven world.
Kimberly Moeller
Librarian IV, Education & Social Sciences Librarian
University Libraries AI Faculty Fellow
Peer Navigator Corner: Printing @ Mizzou
Written by: Annalise Miller
Printing on campus is easier than you might think – whether you are completing the process from your own laptop or making use of the Ellis Library desktops, at Mizzou you are able to print from almost anywhere and pick up your pages in minutes.
One way to print at Mizzou is by downloading the PrintSmart software onto your own personal laptop. To get started, visit the Division of IT’s site printsmart.missouri.edu. Login using your pawprint (your university email before “@umsystem.edu”) and your regular UM System password. There are two tabs at the top which are sometimes a bit tricky to see, but you’ll want to be on the ‘Print Anywhere’ tab. From here, you will be prompted to select an operating system, category, and preferred printer. Ellis Library technically falls under the category of “Computing Site,” and you’ll find options for all the printer banks including the color printer. Ellis Library has printers on the first and fourth floor, but you will also find printers conveniently at the Student Center, resident halls, and other libraries across campus.
Printing is also accessible through Ellis library desktops throughout the computing labs and the ‘QuickPrint’ stations on the first floor. At these stations you do not have to download PrintSmart software – you can simply login to the desktop with your pawprint and password, open your document, and send it to print. This option is especially useful if you are already studying in Ellis or need to print something quickly between classes.
All students have a semester print allowance that covers most basic needs. In the fall and spring semesters, undergraduate students are allocated $17.50, and graduate/professional students $25. Students enrolled in summer classes have $7 to go towards print jobs. Standard black-and-white pages are just 5 cents each, while color pages are 50 cents. 11×17 prints range from 10 cents in black-and-white, to $1 in color.
If you run into issues or have questions about printing, support is always available. You can reach out to the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) through a live chat option on their website, doit.missouri.edu, by sending an email, or by visiting Tiger Tech on the lower level of the student center. You can also stop by and ask the Peer Navigators in Ellis Library for assistance.
BYOBook Club at Mizzou Libraries
Do you want to join a book club but prefer to choose your own book?
Join us at BYOBook Club! Read any book for the month’s (optional) prompt and chat with other readers about what you chose. This is a great way to discover new books and authors—or rant about pesky plot holes.
- January 28th – Book(s) you read over winter break
- February 25th – Book about love (this can be romance, family love, friendship; whatever you want!)
- March 18th – Book written by a woman
- April 29th – Book about a library, about a librarian or even a book recommended by a librarian
You can find book recommendations and more on our BYOBook Club guide.
This club is sponsored by Mizzou Libraries Outreach and Engagement Committee.
Get Involved With MULSA: Vice President and Treasurer Needed
If you would like to get more involved with MULSA (the Mizzou Libraries Staff Association), consider becoming Vice President or Treasurer. The VP position is currently open, and the treasurer position will be open in May. If you are interested or have questions, please contact MULSA President Shannon Cary at carysn@missouri.edu.