UM librarians offer one-to-one appointments, drop-in sessions, and both live and recorded workshops to help with research and writing components of graduate programs. Keep reading to learn about some of the resources available and problems the UM librarians can help you solve.

If you are struggling to find sources on a particular topic, a librarian can help you refine your search terms or choose the best database for your needs. For this, you can make a one-to-one appointment with any librarian or with the subject-librarian for your discipline – they have specific knowledge to help you find what you need. Librarians can also help you learn to be more efficient and effective in your searching. Talk to a librarian (one-to-one or during a drop-in session) about how to create the best search strings (if you aren’t familiar with the wonders of “AND” and “OR,” be sure to ask) and how to use filters and subject tags to their full potential.

An all-too-common frustration in the research process is finding a source that sounds perfect and then finding out that you can’t access the full article. You don’t have to deal with that frustration alone, a librarian can likely help you find an available version through the UM libraries system or can walk you through how to request it through document delivery – if there is a version to be found, the UM librarians will help you find it. Another fantastic option – install the Lean Library browser extension and find the Libraries’ licensed copy automatically!

Once the articles start to pile up, many graduate students are faced with another challenge – how to keep it all organized. Librarians can help with that too! The UM librarians can introduce you to reference management software options, including everything from setting up an account to automatically inserting citations into your word processor. If you are already using one, they can even help you learn to use it even more effectively.

Then, there is writing; UM librarians can help with that too. While there are graduate-level writing tutors available through the Academic Learning Centre to help with many facets of writing, librarians can help you find resources and examples for different styles of writing. They can also help with finding style guides or examples for lesser-known citation styles and examples for specific situations in more- or lesser-known style guides.

Along with the options of one-to-one meetings and drop-in sessions, many of challenges of research and writing are covered through numerous workshops offered by the UM libraries each term. Their ‘Graduate Student Research Series’ is specifically designed to help master’s and doctoral students with the particular demands of research and writing in these higher-level programs. These workshops cover topics like how to define your research question and do a literature review, what open access and research metrics are, how to use citation management software, and how to manage research data. Keep an eye on the upcoming workshops page to see what topics are going to be covered this term. You can also check out the UM libraries Youtube page for recorded videos of many of the popular workshop topics.

Whether you are struggling with a particular issue or would just like to hone your skills, the UM libraries and librarians are resources of near limitless potential. Check out the UM libraries site to see how they can help!

We’ll start where our assignments usually start – you are given a set of instructions telling you to find sources and write your paper. Sounds simple enough in theory, right? Well sometimes it is, and that is great, but when it’s not, take a breath and explore the different ways the UM libraries can help. A great place to start is the Learning Support page, which outlines many of the resources and services offered by the UM Libraries. If you already have a particular question or challenge you are looking for help with, here are some of the specific ways the UM Libraries and librarians can support you.

If you are new to doing research, consider making a one-to-one appointment with one of UM’s librarians for support on how to search for sources. They can help you get familiar with the UM Library system including the basic “library search” (like google but better for research), as well as the various databases available. UM librarians can also help you understand the types of sources to look for based on your assignment requirements (what is peer-reviewed anyway?) and how to use filters to make finding them easier. This will help to ensure that, once you find the perfect source, it really is the perfect source.

If you would like to do your research more efficiently, librarians can teach you tips and tricks to streamline your search. Not all search terms are created equal, and a librarian can help you figure out the best search terms to use to find the topics you need. They can also help you understand and filter the information provided for each source to help you quickly determine if a source is right for you and what you are working on.  

If you are looking for something on a more obscure topic, it might sometimes feel like no one has written anything that covers what you need. That is the time to find your subject librarian. Subject librarians are not only research experts but experts in a particular field and so will be best able to help you with everything from knowing which database to start in to helping dig up more niche information.

If you find the perfect source but can’t seem to access the document, reach out to any of the UM’s librarians either through a one-to-one appointment or through the online chat, Ask Us. Through the mysteries of the libraries (or perhaps knowing where else to look or how to use Document Delivery), there is a pretty good chance the librarians will be able to help you out.

Whatever aspect of research you are working on, UM librarians are excited and ready to help. You can find them through the online chat, one-to-one appointments or drop-in sessions – more information on all of these can be found on the UM libraries website.

1. INDIANS ON VACATION by Thomas King

Recommended by Shirley Delorme Russell, Indigenous Librarian Intern 

“Thomas King is Cherokee from the U.S. but has lived in Canada most of his adult life. Indians on Vacation is pure comedy. Along the way, you will learn some ridiculous Indigenous humour!” 

2. TIED UP IN TINSEL by Ngaio Marsh

Recommended by Aurora Tetrault, Library Assistant, Music Library 

“I highly recommend Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh. The author has created wonderful characters, and her plots are intricate and intriguing, to say the least. Her descriptions of people, places, and events give the reader a vivid and historical perspective of the times and her writing style is so pleasurable.”

3. NINE PRINCES IN AMBER by Roger Zelazney

Recommended by Allison Erhardt, Library Systems Specialist 

“If you are looking for a fantasy realm with unlimited possibilities to escape to, Amber is for you. The battle between Order and Chaos, following the Pattern, defeating evil — this fantasy series has it all.  Each book in this five-book series is on the shorter side, but together, with the second set of five books, makes for an epic read.  There is a set of three prequels too, if you get through the first ten! But start with your first step on the pattern and you won’t turn back.”

4. JANE EYRE by Charlotte Brontë

Recommended by Candice Lewis, Library Supervisor 

“I came very late to Jane Eyre, thinking it was stuffy and old-fashioned, so I had not given it a try.  If you have never read it, you will be so pleasantly surprised; and, even if you have, please give it a re-read.  I discover something different every time, plus the prose is sublime.”

5. LOST & FOUND by Kathryn Schulz

Recommended by Justin Fuhr, Science Librarian 

“Kathryn Schulz’s memoir recounts not only the loss of her father but how she found the love of her life. This is a story of loss and of finding yourself and the people who become close and significant to you. Schulz is a master of the written word, and you’ll find you can’t put this book down!” 

6. BLEACHERS by John Grisham

Recommended by Cody Fullerton, Acting Head, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Division 

“This book is short, easy to read, and very thought-provoking. It centers on high school football players who come back together 15 years after graduation to bury their former coach. As they discuss the glory days, they struggle to decide if they love or hate him. I’ve read this book many times and it had a notable impact on me as a teenager.”

7. EVERYBODY WINS: FOUR DECADES OF THE GREATEST BOARD GAMES EVER MADE by James Wallis

Recommended by Elliot Hanowski, General Librarian 

“This will be an enjoyable read for anyone who likes playing board games and wants to know more about their evolution. It’s insightful, humorous and well-illustrated!”

8. THE WEIRD SISTERS by Eleanor Brown

Recommended by Heather Bidzinski, Head, Archives & Special Collections   

“This book is about three sisters who ‘love each other [but] just don’t happen to like each other very much.’ The title reflects the family connection to all things Shakespeare; the father is a famous Shakespeare professor, and the sisters are named after famous Shakespearean women.  It’s a fun read about family coming together unexpectedly in a crisis.

9. LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott

Recommended by Samuel Plato, Learning and Instruction Support Librarian 

“This book is wholesome, heartbreaking, and riveting throughout. With a story beginning just before Christmas in the early 1860s, you can spend your holiday break falling in love with the March sisters and follow along as they balance their dreams for themselves with their responsibilities to each other. And you can see the stage adaptation running at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Company now until December 14!”   

10. SONG OF INCREASE by Jacqueline Freeman

Recommended by Claire Settee, Indigenous Librarian Intern 

“This is a feel-good book that opens your mind. The audiobook includes ambient bee humming sounds. Not just for bee people, an accessible read for those with any level of apicultural knowledge.” 

UM Libraries locations are open for study during exams, with group and individual study spaces available at various library locations across Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses. For quick online help, chat with library staff on Ask Us, open until 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on weekends. 

All UM Libraries locations will be closed December 21, 2024 – January 1, 2025.  

UM’s librarians have worked hard to provide a plethora of resources for students. Whether they are first-year students getting used to the kind of work expected of them in the university, or graduate students grinding away at their dissertations, the library has helpful guides to guide students on the right track. UM Libraries have an online writing guide which explains the various aspects of academic writing, from identifying peer-reviewed sources to understanding the ins and outs of how scholarly information is communicated. This includes concise tips sheets to understand different kinds of assignments, especially unconventional or heavy assignments such as annotated bibliographies, theses and dissertations, and critical reviews.

Different faculties and disciplines will have different expectations regarding citation styles, formatting, or types of relevant sources. Navigating these aspects of courses and assignments and knowing where to find further information can be quite a feat. Fortunately, UM Libraries has subject librarians who can help students in specific disciplines. Students can consult with these librarians to get help understanding the expectations of their assignments, find relevant sources, and learn how to properly use those sources in their written assignments. University 1 Librarian Sarah Clark highlights the utility of meeting with subject librarians, “Student appointments are really important because often times, the initial question a student has can lead to related questions about their assignment, and deeper discussions about writing and research. This often provides an opportunity to mention services or resources the student may not have known about or considered before.” Visiting a subject librarian at the start of their assignment can help students work efficiently and avoid confusion or common pitfalls. For those seeking support, Clark points to the importance of consulting librarians directly: “if students have any questions about research or using the Libraries, I’d encourage them to contact their subject librarian either through email or by booking an appointment.”

In her capacity as a librarian, Clark supports the ARTS 1110 course by hosting in-class workshops to discuss information literacy. For new students, this exercise is crucial for instilling confidence and knowledge on how to navigate libraries. “There is often no way to know what students’ prior learning experiences look like,” stresses Clark. “Providing consistent information literacy instruction at an earlier stage of students’ university experiences can help set them up for success. They can become confident with resources, strategies, and techniques that they can apply and reuse in so many different courses and contexts going forward as their research needs evolve.”

The Elizabeth Dafoe Library offers Drop-in Study Sessions with librarians and writing tutors in the Brown Lab (Room 110) on Wednesday and Thursdays from 1:00-2:00 p.m. No registration is required, and these are opportunities for students to work on assignments and ask questions to hone both their research and their writing.

Students can find more information on writing and research skills through workshops offered by UM Libraries in the Fall and Winter terms. These workshops are divided in different series and students are encouraged to find the series that applies to them. For example, Library Essentials is for new students; meanwhile Graduate Student Research supports graduate-level writing and research.

UM Libraries are more than just study spaces or stacks upon stacks of books. UM’s librarians, and all the resources they have curated over the years, are key players in a student’s studies. Understanding that the library is more than just a place for research, but also a space to share knowledge and for students and librarians to assist students to succeed in their studies.