FAQ - frequently asked questions about library resources and services

Hot topics: Wireless configuration; Printing, Hours, Book a study room

Information about: books, articles, study spaces, technology (printing, scanning, laptops, etc.), getting help, research tools, writing papers, general information about the library
Resources specifically useful to graduate students, faculty, alumni, special needs patrons, members of the public
Site index - complete alphabetical list of web pages on the library website - useful with your browser's "find" command (ctrl-F or cmd-F)
Search this website (about the library itself, NOT books and articles)
How do I... - common questions and answers in question format
Also see the footer of this website for links to more information

Getting Help

Get personalized help: walk-in, online chat, by appointment, by telephone, by email

AskUs online chat
Appointments with subject librarians
Tours and Tutorials
Subject guides research advice by academic department

Research Tools and Tips

OneSearch - the mega search for books, articles, and more
Subject guides - tips for your discipline
RefWorks - how to manage your bibliography citations
Google Scholar

Books

Find books on a topic - see also the subject guide for your topic
Find books on the shelves (also video: how to use a Call Number)
Checkout and renewal of print books
Ebooks
Get material not available at the Library (Interlibrary Loan, ILL)

Articles

Find articles on a topic - see also the subject guide for your topic
Peer-reviewed articles - what does this mean, how do I find them?
Reading an article citation - what do those parts mean?
Get material not available at the Library (Interlibrary Loan, ILL)

Study Spaces

Technology

Printing
Scanning
Workstations
Laptops you can check out
Your laptop in the library:
- wireless network
- laptop printing
Multimedia - DVDs, videos, etc.
more technology services...

Writing Papers

About the Library

How Do I...

Get a library card
Your UPEI ID card is your library card. Learn more...
Find books and periodicals on the shelves

Most books and periodicals are on the upper floor. Books are arranged by call number; periodicals alphabetically by title. Learn more...
Read Call Numbers

Our call numbers start with one or two letters. LA comes after all of L1-L9999. The first number after the letters is a whole number, so LA566 is between LA400 and LA600 and NOT near LA56. Learn more...
Borrow, renew, & return library materials

Print books can be checked out at the Service Desk with your UPEI ID card. You can renew by using the online catalogue "my account" system, or by phone or in person. Learn more...
Find Reserve materials

Reserve materials may be physically located at the Service Desk, or full text online at Reserves. Learn more...
Get material not available at the Library

ILL (Interlibrary Loan) allows you to request a copy of material the Library doesn't own. Articles and book chapters will be sent to you as PDFs and are usually available in 2-3 business days. Entire books will need to be borrowed and returned. This can take as little as 3 business days or a week or two depending on what we need to do to get the book.Learn more...
Get help

There are 5 main ways to get help: the Ask Us chat box, walking into the library and asking at the Service Desk, calling us during our open hours, emailing us, and making an appointment with a librarian.Learn more...
Get computer help

The staff at the Service Desk are trained to help patrons with most common problems with Mac and Windows computers, including MS Word formatting issues, and a wide variety of other questions that we hear from our students. Just walk up to the Desk to get help. We cannot provide more technical help with patrons' own devices aside from Panthernet wireless connections. For that you should go to ITSS.Learn more...
Find articles

Use OneSearch (or for smaller assignments, OneSearch Lite) Learn more...
Use Check@UPEI (Full Text Finder)

Check@UPEI (Full Text Finder) links you from a citation to an article or ebook to the actual full text item.Learn more...
Find the best resources for my research

Subject guides by department give you advice on how to find background information, articles, books, and other kinds of information specific to your field. Learn more...
Find quality web information

Finding sources appropriate for you to use in university assignments requires the same steps as using a library search engine: plan your search, use the best search engine for your purpose, and carefully evaluate the quality and credentials of the sources you find to make sure they're legit.Learn more...
Use Library eResources @ home

If you try to access most full text resources from home, you will be prompted for your UPEI campus network username and password, and then the session will be just like on campus. Learn more...
Find tutorials/library tours

The Library has several self-help online tutorials for learning the basics of searching library databases and otherwise using library resources. Learn more...
Use RefWorks

RefWorks is an online service, paid by the Library on your behalf, to allow you to collect citations and PDFs into a single account, organize them, and then create reference lists (works cited lists) as needed for your papers. Learn more...
Cite Sources

It is important in academic work to properly credit ("cite") any articles, books, or other works that you use in your own papers and projects, and to do so according to the citation style rules required by your assignment.Learn more...
Find quiet places in the Library

There are specifically "quiet study" zones around the library, on the Upper Floor in the Reading Room and in carrel areas around the outer walls on the north, east, and south sides. Learn more...
Book study rooms

The library has bookable study rooms for individuals or groups of varying sizes. The booking system is online. Learn more...
Find Library computers

The library offers Mac and Windows computers for general computing use. Most are in the Learning Commons, but there are several Windows computers along the eastern wall of the Upper Floor too. The Windows computers include the software that the ITSS department has site-wide licenses for on behalf of students, like the MS Office suite, SPSS, and much more. Learn more...
Photocopy, & laminating services

While we recommend (and provide free equipment use for) scanning printed materials, the library does provide photocopiers, for which you will need either coins or money on your campus card. There is no self-service laminating but the Central Printing Office, located in the Library, does provide some lamination services for a modest fee. Learn more...
Borrow a Library laptop

Students may check out a Macbook or Dell (Windows) laptop from the Service Desk when available. Learn more...
Access the wireless network

There are two wireless networks for students on campus: Panthernet, which requires some configuration but once done, is by far the best experience in repeat connections and performance; and Panthernet Open, which requires no configuration but will need re-authentication on every visit. Campus visitors can request the weekly guest wireless password to use Panthernet Open on their personal devices. Wireless network access provides complete access to all library licensed full text resources.Learn more...

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PEI Collection & University Archives

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Tours

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Books

Articles

Study Spaces

Technology

Getting Help

Research Tools and Tips

Writing Papers

About the Library

Other info

Main Library Hours

September 5 - November 30, 2017

Please Note:

FAQ - frequently asked questions about library resources and services

Getting Help

Research Tools and Tips

Books

Articles

Study Spaces

Technology

Writing Papers

About the Library

How Do I...

More Technology

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