COVID-19: Library updates & resources

Due Dates & Returning Materials

Due dates for library materials will be automatically extended to the end of the semester and fines accrued because of this situation will be waived. If you are leaving campus and wish to return items before the end of the semester, please use the book drop outside the main entrance on the east side of the building. Any materials returned will remain on your account until library staff are able to re-enter into the building.

Please contact cirser@uwlax.edu with any questions.

Library Instruction

All in-person library instruction is cancelled for the rest of the semester.

Faculty are welcome to contact our library instruction department (libinstruct@uwlax.edu) to make alternative plans for library instruction, including library guides, short videos, or other online content. If your instruction session was cancelled, the librarian who would have taught your session will be in contact with you to discuss these alternatives.

Alternatives to library instruction:

• Library Guides – We have many subject and course guides available.
• Murphy Library Research & Information Seeking Tools guide – This guide contains general resources on how to use the library as well as how to get started on the research process. Please share this with your students in addition to the course or subject guides most relevant to your class.

Reference Services 

Librarians are still available to help support the research needs of our campus community. Reference services are available to all UWL students, faculty, and staff. Please allow extra time for responses to questions and requests.

For the remainder of spring semester, reference services include:

• Chat – See the button under “Ask Us” on the Murphy Library home page. Chat boxes are also found within many Murphy Library databases. Chat service schedule:
  • Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (no service April 12^th)
• Email – refemail@uwlax.edu
• Research consultations will be conducted by phone or videoconference.

Library guides offer research help curated by librarians and tailored toward various subjects, courses, topics, and research tools & strategies.

Online Resources & Databases

Online resources are available to all students, faculty, and staff from on and off campus with their UWL Net ID, and we encourage all instructors to integrate this content into your courses to supplement instruction.

• Library Guides
• Streaming video
• E-books
• Databases
• Online journals
• Federal and state publications
• Classical music
• Locally digitized resources (local/area history)

Some vendors are also temporarily offering expanded access to their e-resources. More information on these resources can be found here.

See our webpage for information on how to connect to the library’s electronic resources from off campus.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Collection Development Librarian Pam Cipkowski (pcipkowski@uwlax.edu) or E-Resources Librarian Katherine Fish (kfish@uwlax.edu) 

Requesting Materials

UW Resource Sharing and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) of physical materials has been suspended through at least April 6^th. ILL will continue to fulfill requests for electronic materials (articles, scans, etc.). You can submit requests via your ILLiad account. Please allow extra time for requests to be filled. You can contact illoffice@uwlax.edu with questions or concerns.

Murphy Learning Center

The Murphy Learning Center will remain open in a virtual capacity using WebEx. Students will be able to drop into a tutoring session online, just as they would usually do in the MLC. The Writing Center and Public Speaking Center will work virtually mostly on an appointment basis,  but will also offer drop-ins via WebEx. Information on how to enter the virtual tutoring rooms will be on the MLC webpage.

Special Collections & Area Research Center

Special Collections/ARC is closed to all in-person visitors until the end of the spring semester. We will only be able to provide limited services via email. All requests for transfers of archival materials from the Wisconsin Historical Society and other Area Research Centers have been suspended through at least April 7. Some of our archival resources are digitized and available online via Murphy Library Digital Collections. Please email questions to specoll@uwlax.edu.

Events

All in-person events for this semester have been cancelled.  

For any other questions not addressed here, please contact libraryoffice@uwlax.edu.