Getting Started Using UO Libraries for First Year and Transfer Students

What Resources are Available Through the Libraries?

The UO Libraries gives you access to books, ebooks, and journal articles that you can use for research assignments. We have access to hundreds of specialized databases that you can use to find information within your discipline or field of study. 

We have lots of other resources as well including:

• Streaming media, music, and video
• Videogames and boardgames
• Equipment you can check out, including laptops, adapters, calculators, and whiteboard markers.

We have unique materials that you can view in Special Collections and University Archives as well as a popular reading collection with the latest bestsellers.  

If you can believe it, we have over seven million items in our collection... and we know that can be overwhelming. Here's some information about how to find and access our resources.  

Getting Started: How to Find Library Resources

There are several ways to find resources available through the library, and how you start should depend on the kind of research you are doing and the types of resources that you need. Take a look at these quick tips:

What About Textbooks and Course Material?

UO Libraries does have some textbooks available - and we do try to purchase e-book copies of many of the textbooks being used in UO courses. There are a few ways to find textbooks through UO libraries.

1. The first place to check is UO Libraries catalog, LibrarySearch. This searches all the print and digital material UO owns and the materials you can access through UO subscriptions, like eBook databases. 
2. If you can't find your textbook through LibrarySearch, the next place to check is Course Reserves. Course reserves are required course materials (like textbooks!) that are placed in specially designated areas within the library and given shortened loan periods (usually three hours). We don't typically have enough copies of a book on Reserve for everyone in a class, but this is a good option if your course materials are expensive and you want to borrow the book for short periods of time. 

Remember that different editions of books are published, so make sure you use the same edition that is required for your class.