A Library Building Blocks video, Brought to you by the University of Houston Libraries.
You’re working on a group project with two of your classmates and you need to find a meeting space on campus that’s convenient for the whole group.
A likely suggestion will probably be the library on campus. You have studied there before and know it has both quiet and communal spaces where you can be productive.
The library also has some features that might remind you of your local public library or high school media center: fiction books on displays near the checkout counter and workshops and events with social or learning functions.
Libraries on college or university campuses, also known as academic libraries, have their own specific features that are important to keep in mind during your time as a student at a university.
The library provides access to information and resources that facilitate the research and learning done by students, faculty, and staff at the university.
Aside from study areas, the library has other spaces you might find useful, like computer labs and printing stations. While you’re in the library, you can also browse the library collections of scholarly books, academic journals, and historical archives.
Academic libraries also offer many resources that are entirely online! Online research databases are one of the most valuable resources available for your research through the library and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. You may already be familiar with these databases if you have had to find peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles for a paper or project. Through the databases, there are many other kinds of information available including e-books, streaming media for classes, and newspaper articles.
Holding everything together is a group of library workers! We can help you navigate all that the library has to offer. As you’re studying in the library, looking for articles in the databases, or learning to do research for the first time, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions! We’re happy to help.