Paper Pressure? Deadline Dilemmas? Text us.

Freaking out over all your final projects? Need some help finding reliable sources quickly? Just pick up your phone. You can text us your research question. Here's how:

1. Send a text to 265010
2. The message should start with our AIM buddy name (libmtsu) and a colon, followed by your question
3. Example - libmtsu: What is the call number for the book Blink?

You will receive replies as separate text messages. Standard charges apply, based on your cell phone plan.

If we don't answer right away, we may be assisting other users at the reference desk. The quickest way to
contact us in that case would be to call us at 615-898-2817.

All of our contact options, including chat and IM, are on our Need Help page.

Our job is to help you find the best resources for your project, paper or presentation. So ask us for help and reduce your stress levels.

picture credit: Zawezome/Creative Commons

Time to get ILL

The Walker Library has every book in the world. Well no, that isn't true, not even close. But with InterLibrary loan, it may seem like it.

How does it work? Magic and a complicated network of plastic tubing! Ok, no, that isn't true, either. The truth is that librarians play well together. If you find a book or article and we don't have it, we just ask another library to lend it to us. And they do, usually.

How do you request material? You stand in the atrium, twirl three times and say "I do believe in books!" No, no. That would be silly -- great fun for us to observe, but silly. You can request materials two ways. You can go to our website, select Library Services/ Interlibrary Loan and click on Place a Request. You will need the full item record (the description of the book or article), so you might want to print that page first. Alternatively, when you are searching a database and don't find the full text, you can click on to try to find it elsewhere. If it's not available, there is a link on the page to request the item through InterLibrary Loan. Click the link and request form will be automatically filled out.

How do you get the material? A stork delivers it to your doorstep! Um, you didn't even believe that a little, did you? Well, it is almost as easy as that. You'll get an email when your book has arrived and you can pick it up at the Circulation desk on the 1st floor of the library. If you have requested an article, it might be delivered right to your email.

How long does it take for books to arrive? 30 minutes or less? Nah, we aren’t a pizza joint, so it may take a bit longer. In reality it can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. It depends on whether it is sent electronically or mailed from Romania (seriously). Most requests are available in about a week.

Does it seem like magic, the idea that you can get materials the library doesn’t own in a timely fashion with a minimum of fuss? Well it isn’t magic, it is just another amazing service your Walker Library staff provides for you. As for the hidden slide and mysterious fifth floor, that’s another story…

For more information on InterLibrary Loan look here.

Around the World with the Country Studies Guide

Need to do a country profile?
Interested in foreign companies working in the United States?
Looking for statistics dealing with the international community?
Curious how foreign newspapers report international events?
Desperate to brush up on some cross-cultural customs?
When you make the V sign with your fingers in a particular country, are you promoting peace or starting a fight?

Look no further. We have collected the best websites, books, databases and encyclopedias in one location. From the library home page click on Select a Course Topic in the top left of the page. Scroll down to Country Studies. (Oh, what the heck, here's the link.) On this page you will find a collection of current, accurate and easy to use information on every country in existence. Even Montserrat. There are maps, statistics, country anthems, recipes and pictures available for you to use, worry free. Keep up with the world outside MTSU with the Walker Library.

New books on your computer

Ebrary is a database with the latest and greatest books from top academic publishers. You can find books on anthropology, business, religion, social science, medicine and more.

The amazing thing about Ebrary is that the collection is constantly updated so all the books are NEW.

The Ebrary reader is simple to use and allows you to do quick skimming, search for key words, jump chapters or flip pages. Here are some other nifty things you can do with Ebrary:

1. Highlight text and take notes – Create a bookshelf (if needed) to save and organize your research.
2. Use InfoTools – Link out to other online resources to expand your research.
3. Print pages, and copy and paste text – ebrary provides automatic citations with a URL hyperlink back to the source. (HOW COOL IS THIS??)
   
4. Manage, archive and share research – Organize your bookshelf and email folders to peers.

You can also use the optional ebrary's Plug-in or Unity Reader, which offers added functionality. You launch it by clicking on the ebrary Reader button.

Ebrary's collection is cutting edge and super current, you can read it on your computer and with nifty features (including automatic citation generation) you can really get into the text. To find this valuable resource click here, or from our library home page, click on databases a-z, Select E and then scroll to Ebrary.

Enter the Walker Library Amazing Race, win a Kindle!

Walker Library is hosting an Amazing Race, November 8-12.
This race will highlight new and existing library services. You start the race at the reference desk. Successful participants will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Kindle to be given away Monday, November 15 at 9am on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to Facebook or Twitter for more information.

Facebook - James E. Walker library (MTSU)
Twitter- MTSU library

Teaching Students with Disabilities this Friday, LT&ITC

The LT&ITC, in collaboration with the Provost and Disabled Student Services offices, will present a program to help faculty increase their awareness of disability issues and provide practical tips on how to assist these students to have successful learning experiences.

Date: Friday, Nov 12, 8:00 to 11:30 the LT&ITC Showcase will offer

Topic: Teaching Students with Disabilities: Resources and Responsibilities

Presenters: Amy Burks, Maria Clayton, Jill Hague, Gail Fedak, Watson Harris, David Robertson, Barbara Draude, and Tom Brinthaupt

Location: LT&ITC, Walker Library room 348

Register with the LT&ITC at http://www.mtsu.edu/ltanditc/events.shtml

New! Computer Availability Maps!

Have you noticed a similarity between trying to find a parking space on campus and trying to find a computer in the library? You circle and circle and pray and swear until you finally find an opening, and when you do, you hope not to have a head on collision or get into an altercation with another seeker. We can't do anything about parking, unfortunately, but now you can determine where the open computers are before you start roaming.

Simply point your smartphone or other mobile device to http://libstats.mtsu.edu:8080/ to see a listing of the computer labs in the library and the available numbers of machines. You can also click on a map of the lab to see exactly where the open computers are.

If you don't have a mobile device, you can view the maps on the TV screen in the library atrium or stop by the Reference Desk on the 1st floor to get assistance.