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

The subject librarians at the Mizzou Libraries serve as academic partners for faculty, departments and research teams across campus. With expertise in specific disciplines, they help connect faculty with the collections, services and research support needed for teaching, scholarship and student success.

Faculty can work with subject librarians in several ways. Subject librarians develop collections that support current and emerging curricular and research needs, serve as liaisons between academic departments and the Libraries, and provide specialized research assistance for faculty and students.

As collection specialists, subject librarians collaborate with faculty to identify resources that support instruction, course development and scholarly inquiry, including books, journals, databases and other materials. These partnerships help ensure that library collections remain aligned with departmental priorities and evolving areas of study.

Subject librarians also serve as primary contacts for departments, sharing timely information about library resources and services while bringing faculty needs and perspectives back to the Libraries. This liaison role supports stronger communication, more responsive services and deeper collaboration between the Libraries and the academic community.

Faculty are encouraged to consult with their subject librarian on research projects, course assignments and effective use of print and online resources. Subject librarians can provide guidance on copyright, citation metrics, citation managers, data management, literature reviews, open access, open educational resources, digital repositories and more. They can also help connect students with research support for assignments and projects. Contact your subject librarian today!

As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly common in research products, many database vendors are integrating AI features directly into their platforms. Several major research databases that the Mizzou Libraries subscribe to are providing new ways for users to discover and interact with information.

Researchers may notice different types of AI features depending on the database they are using:

• Discover@MU includes AI Assisted Search (formerly Natural Language Search), which users can choose to enable.
• JSTOR offers an AI Research Tool that users can toggle on.
• ProQuest databases include a Research Assistant that automatically appears when a search is performed.
• SciFinder provides CAS Newton, allowing users to choose between a traditional search and an AI-powered search experience.

These vendor-developed AI tools are built directly into the databases and are not controlled by Mizzou Libraries. As a result:

• Librarians cannot disable, hide or restrict access to these features.
• AI functionality may vary from one database to another.
• Librarians are actively evaluating these tools and developing guidance and instruction to help patrons use them effectively.

It is also important to distinguish these vendor-integrated AI features from AI tools that Mizzou Libraries has intentionally licensed and recommended for campus use. These librarian-evaluated tools include:

• Keenious
• LeapSpace
• ProQuest TDM Studio

These resources have undergone review and evaluation by Mizzou Libraries and were selected to support teaching, learning and research.

Questions about an AI feature you’ve encountered in a library database? Contact your subject librarian for assistance. Librarians are available to help researchers understand AI-powered research tools and make informed decisions about their use.

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

When Joe Dillard, the School of Natural Resources (SNR) Building Room 47 archivist, needed to update their list of fish and wildlife theses and dissertations, he found it to be quite a project.  Their current archive, housed in glassed-in cabinets, was incomplete.  Karen Decker (from SNR), was able to procure them from the University Library so they could be processed.  Karen also prepared the list so it can be viewed on the SNR website.  Niki Fuemmeler developed the spreadsheet for the project, and Genevieve Howard from the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources uploaded the list: https://snr.missouri.edu/graduate-studies/fisheries-and-wildlife-graduate-program/.  Joe decided to take on additional tasks by enhancing the list with more attributes, beyond the basics, such as the page numbers, outside funding sources, and accessibility from the University Library through a spreadsheet provided by Corrie Hutchinson, Associate University Librarian at Ellis Library.  In order to provide this additional information, Joe had to peruse each of the 636 copies, dating all the way back to 1937!

Now that the project is complete, the main goal is to keep the list up to date.  For anyone reading this who published a thesis, dissertation, or both, please check the information on your project(s) to make sure the information is correct.  For now, thanks to hard work from everyone, the “SNR Room 47 Project” is complete!

“Dibujante Nocturno: the art of Fran Garcés” is currently available at MU Ellis Library, NC287.G37 A4 2020

“Dibujante Nocturno: the art of Fran Garcés” is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever seen.  It introduced me to an author I was unaware of, and not only his art, but also his journey.

The book itself is beautiful – large with a beautifully illustrated cover and thick, glossy pages.  There is an introduction, and then right into the first section of his book, where he discusses his influences, creative style, what happens when you start to doubt yourself, and how social media can help.  He shares his hopes and dreams for the future and what he wants to do with his work.  He is still relatively unknown, with his publisher, 3dtotal Publishing running a kickstarter for the project, which was funded above and beyond the expected goal for the publishing company (and the library can be even more thrilled about owning the book, as the publisher donates 50% of profits to charity and plants a tree for every book sold!).

And then comes the really fun part: the art.  Garcés loves to take the mythological and make it even more fantastical.  On a drawing of a forest mermaid, he writes, “I really enjoy imagining mermaids living out of water and in a forest in springtime.”  He shows his original line art, and his shading, and finally the completed project.  These aren’t your everyday mermaids either – they are vicious and dark and forbidding, but absolutely beautiful.  He draws ferocious dragons that are often pictured with another humanlike being: “When we draw dragons we naturally tend to imagine them with a warrior, a being with whom they have a bond.”  Garcés often draws dragons, writing, “I’ll never get stuck when faces with an empty piece of paper, because I can always draw a dragon!” and believes he will never tire of drawing them.

But out of this chapter on imposing dragons, there is a sweet moment, where he shares a story about himself and his niece, showing his drawing as well as featuring her drawings and stories about the creatures he makes, and even giving him some tips on how to improve his drawings!

After focusing on mythological creatures, Garcés takes us into the darker part of his mind, filled with drawings of skulls and monsters, which may seem like a strange subject for someone who admits they cannot watch a horror movie, but he is fascinated with those things that live in the dark, whether in “nature itself and its wildest side or the darkest side of the human mind.”  This isn’t terribly surprising as Dibujante Nocturno roughly translates to “Night Sketcher.” His monster art is nightmare-inducing, and I don’t say that lightly.  Full of teeth and screams, made of natural weapons such as claws and horns, you have a visceral reaction to the drawings, which creates an interesting dichotomy when you turn the page and see a picture of Garcés with his little parrot, Caqui.

He is then kind enough to share the materials he uses to create his work, both physical and digital, as well as drawing with a simple ballpoint pen and a notebook.  He devotes an entire section to his methods and instruction on how to choose color palettes and thumbnails to help other artists and allow his viewers to understand his process.

Garcés does not come across as a brooding artist who revels in the dark side of life, but as a man who is doing what he loves, content in his studio, his work, and Caqui, always looking to improve and share his art.

Fran Garcés’s instagram: @dibujantenocturno

Additional book about unusual mermaids:

• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, available here: https://encore.searchmobius.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb32604341
• The Deep by Rivers Solomon, available here: https://encore.searchmobius.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb34815139

Additional books about unusual dragons:

• The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne, available here: https://encore.searchmobius.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb37555982
• His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik, available here: https://encore.searchmobius.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb20696604