In honor of National Library Week this week, here are some key facts about University Libraries.
1. Digital collections offer far more than books.
Extensive digital collections, managed through Special Collections, preserve items of enduring historical value. Collections document exploration and settlement of the area that became Alabama; the cultural, political, social and economic history of Alabama and the South; the Civil War and Reconstruction periods; slavery and its abolition; African American history, including the Civil Rights Movement; and the history of The University of Alabama.
And annual progress reports showcase growing University Libraries collections (currently 6,509,662 volumes made available to students and faculty in physical and digital formats, along with access to 268,387 E-journals).
2. Media production is supported and encouraged.
Equipment, including cameras, microphones and projectors, is available for checkout in Gorgas and training is available through the Sanford Media Center. All library branches offer 3D printing.
3. Librarians train students and faculty.
Librarians from University Libraries provide workshops on a variety of topics throughout the semester, including data management plans, Python, citation management tools like Zotero, qualitative coding with NVivo, R and other tools and resources related to research data services, digital humanities and the overall research process.
4. Specialized spaces are available.
Students can book teamwork rooms, whisper booths, and other spaces for individual and collaborative study.
5. The Institutional Repository shares with the world.
The University Libraries Institutional Repository promotes open access and sharing of University of Alabama scholarship with a worldwide audience. The repository provides a searchable, open access, web-based publishing platform for everything from scholarly articles and creative works to dissertations and data sets.
UA librarians are available for appointments or live chats. This video demonstrates how to find everything you might need from a UA library.