Accessing University Libraries from anywhere, at any time
Interested in the journal Nature, the daily New York Times, a current bestseller, or a 3D printer? As a University retiree, you can get access to all of these and much more via the University Libraries.
UMRA’s first workshop of 2023 explored the expansive and diverse resources available from the U’s Libraries. Presenters Carissa Tomlinson, director of Student Experience, Learning, & Outreach, and Julie Kelly, retired Science Librarian, provided an overview of the Libraries’ facilities and collections on the Twin Cities campus. U of M retirees can borrow from the physical collections, request materials from other libraries through interlibrary loan services, and tap the vast array of licensed digital books, journals, and databases—from anywhere, at any time!
Gone are the days of standalone library catalogs and indexes. Now, the Libraries’ website offers a comprehensive “search” function that encompasses diverse formats, from books, to journal titles, to individual journal articles. The workshop presentation offered tips to make searching of the Libraries’ holdings and Google more effective. And assistance is always available, either through the online 24/7 Chat service on the website or by contacting one of the expert subject librarians.
For those who are not official University retirees, the Libraries’ state-funded Minitex service provides a mix of online scholarly and more general resources, including K-12 materials, newspapers, and magazines. Minitex also engages cultural heritage organizations across Minnesota in digitizing unique primary resources about Minnesota history and life. It’s a treasure trove for educators, historians, and genealogists.
The Libraries hosts countless online tutorials, workshops, and public programs that are open to all. Of particular interest to some retirees is the monthly First Fridays program, featuring the Libraries’ special collections and archives and talks by curators and archivists on intriguing topics.
Friends of the University Libraries also sponsors engaging public programs, and membership includes borrowing privileges for those unaffiliated with the University.
Whether for continued research, leisure reading, or personal explorations, the Libraries has something for everyone!
—Wendy Pradt Lougee, University librarian and Dean of Libraries (retired) and UMRA Program Committee member
Re-discover University Libraries
Tue, January 17 2023, 11am
Carissa Tomlinson and Julie Kelly
University of Minnesota Libraries
Event to be held via Zoom.
Where do you go when you have a burning question or an interest in learning more about a topic? Google has become the go-to source for many, but there’s a world of content and expertise available to you through the University of Minnesota Libraries. And, as University retirees you can access these resources within campus libraries or from anywhere in the world via the internet.
The first UMRA workshop of 2023 will feature Carissa Tomlinson, director of Student Experience, Learning & Outreach at University Libraries, and Julie Kelly, UMRA member and retired science librarian.
Held via Zoom on Tuesday, January 17, the workshop will explore some of the tools that will help you find and access content in the Libraries’ print and digital collections. The workshop will also provide tips and techniques for making the most of your online explorations, including using Google and the web. Workshop attendees will also learn about free resources available to all Minnesota residents via the state-funded Minitex program, including popular e-books, Minnesota history, and educational materials for K–12 (think grandchildren!).
Tomlinson currently oversees programs and services to help students become “information literate” with the critical skills needed to find, evaluate, and use information. Her research and publications focus on strategies for student engagement and academic success.
During Kelly’s career in the Libraries, she worked with the departments of Horticulture; Applied Economics; and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. She continues to serve as co-director of ageconsearch.umn.edu, a global digital library in applied economics. Her research and publications have included analysis of “gray literature”—works outside traditional publishing systems—and reusing analog scientific data.
Please register and join us at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 17, to re-discover University Libraries!
—Wendy Pradt Lougee, UMRA Program Committee member and retired University librarian and dean