Top Tips for New Faculty Using Morris Library

Top Tips

Morris Library offers a multitude of services for SIU faculty members. Here are 13 of our favorites.

1. Start from the website just for faculty

We've developed a webpage, Faculty Services, with all the tips and links you need to get started at Morris Library or find all our resources from our homepage.

2. Use your SIU ID card as your library card

Bring your SIU ID card to the Library when you want to check out materials or use other library services. If you would like to have your graduate student pick up items for you, fill out a proxy account form at the 1st floor Circulation Desk.

3. Schedule a Library Research Workshop for your class

Morris Library offers instruction, tours, and customized online materials designed to teach students about information access, evaluation, and use either in general or integrated with course content. Schedule a session.

4. Stop by the Information Desk and SalukiTech for help with research or technology

Highly-trained library faculty and staff assist with information and research questions while SalukiTech staff help with SIU accounts and configure and troubleshoot personal devices. Visit our Ask A Librarian page for research help from anywhere.

5. Borrow from another library

If we don't have a published item you need, we will obtain it from another library at no charge to you, but you will need to use two different services: I-Share (Illinois' system to retrieve books from 90+ different libraries) and Interlibrary Loan (international system to obtain articles, media, and books). Use I-Share to request books and Interlibrary Loan to request articles. For more information go to our Other Libraries page.

6. Add the library to your SIU online course

Empower your students to quickly access library materials and connect with a research expert from anywhere. If you are using D2L, encourage your students to use the library resources embedded within your course shell. If they need additional help, they can always chat, call, or email a librarian through the Ask A Librarian page.

7. Put Your Course Textbooks on Course Reserves

Morris Library maintains Course Reserves for student use at the request of course instructors. You can use our online course reserve request form to let library staff know what volumes you need for your students to have access to, and we will pull them from our collection or you can drop off a copy if we don't own it.

8. Take advantage of the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC)

SCRC collects and preserves unique and rare historical materials in selected subject areas including Southern Illinois history, rare books, manuscripts, and SIU archives. Special collections of note include American philosophy, First Amendment freedoms, American and British Twentieth century literature and theatre, and political papers. SCRC faculty and staff assist with integrating primary source material into courses and provide class sessions on using these unique materials. Visit the SCRC website.

9. Submit your publications to OpenSIUC

Morris Library offers an institutional repository where you can publish your research and scholarly materials for free, which increases their visibility and use. Visit OpenSIUC.

10. Learn about copyright and intellectual property

Librarians at the U of I maintain an online guide that provides accurate, up-to-date information about copyright, intellectual property, plagiarism, and other related topics. See Illinois Copyright Reference Guide for more information.

11. Get information about citation management

Visit the Library's online guides to the common citation management systems such as Zotero and EndNote. Help can be found at Libguides - Zotero and Libguides - EndNote. We also have a subscription to EndNote Desktop which can be requested through SalukiTech.

12. Tell your students about the other services in Morris Library

Several departments useful to faculty and students are strategically located in Morris Library: Math Central, the Center for Learning Support Services, Testing Services, the Writing Center, SalukiTech, the Honors Program, Family-Friendly Study Room, Lactation Room, Geospatial Resources, and the Center for Teaching Excellence. Delyte's Café offers delicious beverages, snacks, sandwiches, and other foods.

13. Visit the 6th and 7th floors

The 6th and 7th floors feature collaborative and technology-enhanced tables along with lots of glass to write on, natural light, and movable seating for productivity by students and faculty alike. Meet with students where you can help them dynamically or send your students to work together on group projects.