Research anywhere, anytime
By Elizabeth Labiner
When libraries and archives around the world closed, including UArizona’s numerous libraries, it might have felt like graduate work and research were dealt a serious blow. But while you can’t head into the library to study, write, or search the stacks in person, this doesn’t mean you’ve entirely lost access to the library. Just as classes and other services have shifted online, so too have many library resources.
To begin, UArizona’s library website has a number of potential launchpads for any dive into research, regardless of discipline. E-books and online articles in our library catalog are fairly straightforward starting points, but there’s a wealth of material within that realm, not to mention the myriad paths beyond our own immediate holdings. There’s a useful e-book tutorial and guide to help you find what you need. If you’re not sure where to start or which way to proceed from your starting point, the library can help with that, too. Librarians created a resource guide specifically for graduate students, a listing of online research tutorials, and an information research strategies learning module.
If you’re looking to optimize your remote research and you want a consultation with someone familiar with the resources in your particular field, start with library liaisons, says Elizabeth Kline, associate librarian in Research & Learning (R&L): “They are the first line of contact to everything libraries!” Liaisons are available for consultations with graduate students, and can help direct you to the most fruitful resources pertaining to your work. You can find your program’s liaison by visiting the “Find Your Librarian” list on the library’s staff directory page.
You likely already know that the university pays for subscriptions to an array of research and publishing databases, to which you have access through your UArizona credentials. The list of these databases can be sorted by field, by provider, or by type. Anthony Sanchez, an assistant librarian in R&L, reminds students that a number of open access resources can be found through the library website as well.
Assistant librarian in R&L Niamh Wallace also directs graduate students to the library’s support page for instructors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the guide to how library services have changed as a result of social distancing and the campus closure.
Keep in mind the live virtual workshops and events offered by CATalyst Studios, which range from tech help to knitting socials! These events may be helpful for your work along with your work-life balance.
If you have questions regarding the aspects of research such as logistics or funding, or how the pandemic and resultant social distancing measures have impacted your work, consider visiting Research, Innovation & Impact or reaching out to Research Development Services for information and guidance.